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Knight Without Armour (1937)
Knight Without Armour
Now you've got to keep an eye on the plot in this little espionage/counter espionage thriller as Robert Donat is a Brit sent to spy on the Bolsheviks and gets caught up in all sorts of shenanigans that lands him in Siberia until 1917 when, amidst all the chaos he alights upon the beautiful "Countess" (Marlene Dietrich) and both have to try and get the hell out of a rapidly imploding Russia. The two stars gel quite well, once they start sharing scenes together and although the story follows a pretty well trodden path, the two , together with a few familiar faces from British cinema (John Clements, Irene Vanbrugh and a rather good, drunken, Miles Malleson) manage to keep this slightly over-long escape story going. Harry Stradling's photography re-creates well the coldness of the Russian climate (from Buckinghamshire!) and the eeriness and devastation of a messy, brutal revolution and Lajos Biró's adaptation of the novel keeps pretty much to the plot.
The Wolverine (2013)
The Wolverine
This second solo outing for the eponymous "X-Man" sees him rescue a Japanese soldier from the Nagasaki bomb. Many years later, that solider - "Yashida" (Hal Yamanouchi) - has become a wealthy and successful industrialist determined to leave his fortune to his strong-willed and capable granddaughter "Mariko" (Tao Okamoto). It's soon clear, though, that that succession plan is going to face it's problems - not least from her own father "Shingen" (Hiroyuki Sabada) and the Yakuza replete with their own group of combat-ready mutants. When an attempt is made to kidnap the woman at the old man's funeral, "Logan" (Hugh Jackman) gets more than he bargained for - and is now faced with a dilemma the like of which he had hitherto thought impossible. Moreover, this development actually puts both him and his charge at considerable risk. The plot takes a further twist when they both discover that there may yet be an even more dangerous foe awaiting them. Though this looks good, the story is weak and the characterisations all largely undercooked as the emotional undercurrents for "Logan" - still reeling from his loss of "Jean Grey" - drags the story into a mire of sentiment that makes this actually quite heavy going at times. As with the "Origins" film (2009) the nature of his battle skills require much too much close quarter and repetitive combat scenes that, after a while - and after he has, for the umpteenth time, emerged from a battle against overwhelming odds without breaking a nail - become jaded and dull to watch. The denouement scenes here seem to go on interminably, but without any sense of jeopardy - we all know what is going to happen and no amount of acrobatics and pyrotechnics makes that inevitability any more exciting to watch. Jackman himself is nowhere near his best here, either - it is almost as if he is as tired of this role as I am now. The supporting cast do little more than make up the numbers and though it's watchable enough, I did struggle and seriously hope we will see no more of these en-seul efforts.
X: First Class (2011)
X: First Class
If it's not sacrilegious for a Brit, I found this outing for the "X-Men" to be far better without the presence of the two elderly thespians who usually underpin these adventures. James McCoy takes on the mantle of the younger "Xavier" with Michael Fassbender introducing us to the role of "Erik". The former has the ability to read minds, his friend to manipulate metal. By means of flashbacks, we learn the back story for both of these characters, illustrating how they met and started to work together to ensure that their kind were safe and sound in an increasingly hostile world of human paranoia and suspicion. They are making progress until the re-emergence of "Shaw" (Kevin Bacon). Now he and "Erik" have a past - and the latter blames the other for leading atrocities carried out by the Nazis on his Polish family during WWII. His determination to seek revenge causes a rift between the two friends, and soon they - and their respective followers - are at loggerheads whilst a dangerous nuclear war looms for an humanity caught up in a devious cross-fire. Bacon isn't at his best here, he isn't remotely menacing - but the others, including Jennifer Lawrence's "Raven" and Nicholas Hoult's geeky "Hank" work well to give us quite an action-packed flavour of the birth of "Magneto" and of the foundations of his later hostilities with the "X-Men". The visual effects deliver well and the underlying narrative actually offers us a bit to think about - forgiveness, vengeance, fear and intolerance are all touched upon with a superior script that doesn't entirely rely on the effects and pyrotechnics to make it's point. This film works better on a big screen, these stories never really thrive on the television, and is easily - for my money - the best of the franchise I've yet seen.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
I have always struggled to engage with the "X-Men" franchise, but had higher hopes that this - featuring the most charismatic of them - might change that. Sadly not! "Logan" (Hugh Jackman) has a healthy rivalry with his brother "Creed" (Liev Schreiber) honed after their birth in the middle of the 19th century. Many years later, though, and somewhat battle weary, they are offered the opportunity by "Stryker" (Danny Huston) to join his elite team of mutant commandos. Disillusioned with this, "Logan" drops out and tries to live a normal life with his new found love. "Stryker" is having none of this and so after the inevitable tragedy, battle lines are drawn as the angry "Wolverine" sets out for revenge. Some of the other "X-Men" characters feature as this meanders along, and there are a few very well-made up appearances from Ryan Reynolds ("Wade Wilson") but for the most part this a weakly constructed and dreary action drama with an over-reliance on CGI as the combat scenes recycle themselves all too often. Jackman tries hard, and he does impose himself on the story - but there is little sense of jeopardy and the nature of his "quirk" ensures that the acton scenes, though frequently at close quarters, are all rather repetitively predictable. The production standards are high, but the rest of this is immediately forgettable. Sorry.
Flame of Araby (1951)
Flame of Araby
Without leaving California, Maureen O'Hara and Jeff Chandler are transformed into characters from Arabian folklore, and like their faux-location they are not very authentic! She is "Tanya" - a feisty Tunisian princess who is doomed to marry one of the marauding Corsair pirates. Fortunately for her, though, the ever-wooden Chandler ("Tamerlane") is on hand. He is seeking "Shazada" - a stallion of great fame, and it may be that he and this great horse might be the only way of thwarting the dismal fate awaiting the trapped princess. The plot is actually quite fun, but the execution is really poor. There is no chemistry at all between the stars, the sets look like they have been made of polystyrene and the dialogue is about as banal as it is possible to be. This vein of fantasy and mythology ought to have provided for a much richer storyline, but somehow here everyone seems to be just going through the motions and what little action there is, is all too theatrically staged. Maybe nobody liked filming in the desert on a hot day? The advertising was in colour, the film in monochrome - that rather sums this whole thing up.
Zulu Dawn (1979)
Zulu Dawn
Though certainly epic in cinematographic terms, this is a really meandering and over-cast depiction of the Zulu defeat of the British garrison at Isandlwana at the end of the 19th century. I'm assuming it was made as a precursor of - and to capitalise upon - the far superior "Zulu" (1964) but right from the get-go it's just wordy and ponderous and, well, lacklustre. Peter O'Toole does exude a certain arrogance in his role as the Commander of the army (Lord Chelmsford) but Burt Lancaster - and his distinctly ropey accent - as "Col. Durnford", features all too sparingly to offer much more than a casual dig at the incompetencies of his boss as the Zulu and the soldiers of the Queen square up. This cast list is impressive but none of the assembled stars of stage and screen are really used to any great effect. History tells us what happens next, and the colourful action scenes are well put together with enthusiastic efforts from the Zulu themselves delivering well staged combat scenes. Sadly, though, we have to wait far too long for these to rescue this from the doldrums of colourful but procedural cinema that offers us little to nourish either our interest in the characters or in the colonial and ambitious politics of the region that prevailed at the time. Underwhelming, sorry!
The Big Fisherman (1959)
The Big Fisherman
So the Arab Princess "Hara"(Susan Kohner) is a favourite of King "Zendi" (Mark Dana) because the king has a fondness for her mother. It turns out that both were betrayed by the Tetrarch of Galilee (Herbert Lom) many years earlier, and that all have sworn vengeance of this man. When her badly wronged mother dies, the Princess decides to cut her black locks and don the guise of a lad so as to fulfil her newly taken murderous vow. Her travels find her encountering Simon Peter (Howard Keel) who soon realising that she is a woman - thanks to his mother-in-law, takes her into his home. This is all happening whilst her admirer from the desert "Prince Voldi" (John Saxon) is determined to fetch her back to her own people; and to try his own hand at carrying out their long held hope of assassinating their nemesis. The film is all over the place. Part Arabian adventure (the good part) and part birth of Christianity stuff (the not so good part). I kept waiting for Keel to burst into song and but for the efficient effort from Lom as the baddie Herod Antipas, this whole thing would be a poorly produced amalgam of a love story and a bible one. The production itself is colourful enough, the costumes and sets look fine but the story lacks a cohesive direction; it meanders and wanders and I did wonder what a man of Keel's stature was ever doing here.
Miracle on 34th Street (1994)
Miracle on 34th Street
I'm not sure that this really needed reimagining, but Sir Richard Attenborough was probably the best man at giving it a go when it was remade. He is "Kris Kringle", recruited by a struggling toy store to take part in their Christmas parade when their regular fella hits the bottle once too often. He goes down a treat and is soon in their store chatting to all the children. He has an honest streak - he tells the parents where they can shop more cheaply and that's risky for his job! His bosses see a marketing opportunity in his altruism though, and the store's profits soar. He isn't popular with everyone, however, and after a street altercation with his walking stick a his predecessor's head, he finds himself in court. He isn't charged with assault: they are trying to certify him for claiming to be - well, whom he cannot possibly be. Or can he? It's a wee bit long, this, but Sir Richard enters into the spirit of things enthusiastically. Though his accent isn't as reliable as it might be, he brings a certain mischief to the role. He is well supported by the increasingly incredulous prosecutor "Collins" (JT Walsh) and by Robert Prosky in the judge's chair. It's a pleasing story, well told, with some gentle humour that takes a swipe at the bah-humbug society that has long since forgotten what Christmas really ought to be about. It hasn't the charm of the 1947 version, but it's still enjoyable enough to watch at this time of year.
Pharaoh's Curse (1957)
Pharaoh's Curse
Well safe in the knowledge that this production got no nearer Egypt than California's Death Valley, we set off in search of a tomb. Remarkably, after what seems to be very little effort they discover Ramotep's last resting place and a-plundering they go. Thing is, though, the tomb starts to fight back - and when one of their number starts doing more desiccating than desecrating, a curse would appear to be on them. To be fair, the curse was probably already on the whole thing from the storyboard to the clapperboard. The cast are pretty C-list, led by Mark Dana's wooden-as-a-sarcophagus "Capt. Storm"; featuring Ziva Rodann doing her best Joan Collins impersonation as the sultry "Samira" as well as a few others going through the motions as Lee Sholem offers us nothing at all new with this rather dry and unremarkable mummy story. It's only an hour, and it isn't terrible - but that's not really any reason to watch it.
Scandal Sheet (1952)
Scandal Sheet
Phil Carlson does a really good job keeping this thriller going. Not because it is particularly outstanding, but because we know who killed the wife of "New York Express" managing editor "Chapman" (Broderick Crawford), and I still found myself staying interested in the investigation from his best journalist "McCleary" (John Derek). Can he track down the culprit with precious little to go on? It's all the more fitting because the once serious newspaper both work for has become a bit of a scandal sheet - so digging up dirt and piecing together clues has become their meat and potatoes. Derek, and his disgruntled journalist girlfriend Donna Reed ("Julie") prove to be quite a potent partnership in the search for the truth, and Crawford is on fine form as the bullish newspaper man. The dialogue is quickly delivered and the pace of the film offers a realistic sense of life at a newspaper and on a murder probe. The ending has some dignity to it too - and I almost wished the killer had got away with it!
Private Detective 62 (1933)
Private Detective 62
They used to say that in the end, Samuel Goldwyn couldn't get arrested in Hollywood. Well the same is true here for "Donald Free" (William Powell). His government career went down in flames and now he can't get a job for love nor money. Until, that is, he alights on the dodgy "Peerless" detective agency where he is charged with a frame-up of "Janet" (Margaret Lindsay) who has fallen foul of a gambler who is the man behind the cheques at his new employer. What nobody (except the audience, that is) predicts though, is that the two will begin to fall for each other and his task becomes not only more difficult, but downright perilous. It's quite a fun, and quirkily plotted, thriller this with a degree of chemistry on screen and just enough wriggle-room with the story to keep it interesting for an hour. By now the studio was quite adept at eking out the budget and the aesthetic of the film works quite well too, before a lively ending that offers no surprises but entertains well enough for a standard, afternoon B-feature.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Miracle on 34th Street
I suppose if anyone was ever to play the definitive Santa Claus, then it would have had to be Edmund Gwenn. The glint in his eye, the smile and the avuncular look all lends itself so very well to this tale of the Christmas nay-sayers! Set in the toy department of the legendary Macy's toy store in New York, we meet this character who steps in to help out at the city's famous parade after their existing "Santa" gets a bit too inebriated. An instant success with the crowd, he is hired to run the shop's grotto and soon sales are going through the roof. It turns out that he is none too loyal though, and when news reaches his bosses that he is advising the parents where better deals on their gifts can be obtained, things look a bit precarious - or has he hit on the ultimate PR idea! Success never comes alone and resentful of his success certain people engineer an altercation in which our "Kris Kringle" ends up in court. Insisting before learned judge "Harper" (Gene Lockhart) that he is really from the North Pole, what now ensues is a comical, sprightly-written, court-room drama that requires the prosecutor "Mara" (Jerome Cowan) to prove, conclusively, that - well... It is interesting that the posters gave top billing to Maureen O'Hara and to John Payne as neither character are really necessary as the story builds up into the ultimate test of what we believe - or, what we choose to believe. Gwenn is in his element and this is just one of those films that I think it's impossible not to like - at least once a year.
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Set against the rise of Mussolini, this adaptation of the Collodi story draws parallels with the adventures of the eponymous puppet and the fascist's coming to power in Italy. The stop-motion animation is vibrant and simply gorgeous as the old carpenter "Geppetto" lives happily with his young son "Carlo" until the war intervenes and he is robbed of his very essence. It is whilst in the depths of his despair that he decides to carve a puppet, and imbued with life by a forest sprite - "Pinocchio" is born. Curious, mischievous, rebellious - you just know that the youngster is going to be an handful for his father and his friend the cricket. His skills at dancing draw the attention of circus master "Volpe" and soon the lad is caught in an intricate trap that causes him and his "papa" no end of trauma. This iteration blends the magical and mystical with the political and brutal in a cleverly constructed fashion. The original story of humanity is front and centre, but the failings of, and challenges to, that humanity are also presented to us as we see the best and worst of human nature displayed. It's a love story, and one of the best, and in the hands of a man who knows how to mix the dark and the light - contextually and visually - so well, we are offered an engaging and thought-provoking version of this far darker and interesting fairy tale. A big screen must, if you can - the artistry is intricate and the Desplat score compliments that well, too.
Aisha (2022)
Aisha
"Aisha" (Letitia Wright) has been seeking asylum in Ireland for some while when she encounters and builds a friendship with the security guard at her hostel. He, "Conor" (John O'Connor) has a bit of baggage of his own, and the two find a certain comfort in supporting each other as she is moved to a rural caravan park where she must continue her quest for residency. There's no doubt that both Wright and O'Connor deliver decent efforts here, but somehow the underlying story left me rather underwhelmed. Why Ireland? Is it just the most porous part of the EU? There is little context given as to that choice, and so when her struggles against the bureaucracy become more difficult, I felt that whilst I empathised with her predicament, I couldn't quite see why this was an Irish problem? The presentation of her as an asylum seeker is largely predicated on the skills of Wright as an engaging actor, rather than of any depth to her characterisation that could enable a neutral to make the judgements the film is clearly steering us to make. It all has a certain degree of entitlement to it, and the writer and director needed to work much harder to present the audience with a legitimacy to the story, not just to rely on an assumption that the innate kindness and sympathy we ought to feel would be forthcoming. This needed much more development and balance - those doing immigration management jobs portrayed here are usually shown as uncaring and unfeeling in an almost lazy fashion - and that compromises the whole integrity of the story. The complexities of this scenario are over-simplified here, and I think an opportunity to raise awareness of this - on both sides - has been largely missed.
The Infernal Machine (2022)
The Infernal Machine
A lot of this reminded me of "Unhinged" (2020) with Guy Pierce here delivering a strong and characterful performance just as Russell Crowe did back then. Again, like that film, the rest of this story is weak and far-fetched, though. Pierce is reclusive British author "Cogburn" who finds himself being pursued by researching novelist "William DuKent". Initially hostile, for some reason he takes to calling this man from a local phone box and leaving his machine messages telling him to get lost. (Just quite why he doesn't just ignore him... well?). Anyway, this persistence unleashes in the writer the need for a dog and a bottle, and it's after a little too much one night he encounters a local law officer "Higgins" (Alice Eve) and the story lurches from a curious and intriguing personality analysis to a pretty ridiculous mystery centring around a mass shooting 25 years earlier in Knoxville for which "Tufford" (Alex Pettyfer) was incarcerated for life in a super-max prison. As the story starts to unfold, it becomes clear that strings are being pulled and that "Cogburn" is being manipulated. By whom and what for? Well we do find that out, but by the time we do the story has completely lost it's initial potency and become really quite contrived. Pierce does deliver well - he really does, but the squeakily-voiced Pettyfer exudes all the menace of a wet tea bag and the denouement, though quite revealing, is all just a bit poor.
Meet Cute (2022)
Meet Cute
"Shiela" (Kaley Cuoco) has an unique gift. She can travel through time. Now only for a very limited amount of time, but enough to influence the lives of those close to her. She meets "Gary" (Pete Davidson) and what ensues for the next ninety minutes is a messy drama that demonstrates how they fall for each other and how she tries to use her powers to make his/their life better. Of course it doesn't all go to plan, there are lots of pitfalls and boy are we made to suffer them all too! The story does have an interesting premiss - what might we do to help our loved ones deal with - or avoid - trauma, but neither actor here really manages to draw the audience into this really lacklustre and extremely verbal series of shallow scenarios that end, well - you do not need to use any more imagination that the writers did to arrive at that. It is frequently quite cringe-making, and in the end I really couldn't have cared less whether they did or didn't get run over by Santa's rogue sleigh. Very mediocre Christmas television fayre, this - and instantly forgettable.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Daniel Craig rather engagingly reprises his role as the "Poirot"-esque "Benoit Blanc" in this fairly unashamed rip-off of all things Agatha Christie. He finds himself an unexpected guest of billionaire "Bron" (Edward Norton) on his beautiful Greek island, amongst a slew of other notables who - of course - each have an axe to grind with this outwardly affable host. The purpose of the get-together is a traditional murder mystery, and after an hearty dinner, it will fall on the other guests to discover who has murdered "Bron". Well, that's the plan anyway - but of course it doesn't take long for all of that to be derailed and for us to become embroiled in lots of concentric plots and tales of betrayal and duplicity that will truly test the mettle of our sleuth and the audience. The assembled cast provide for a myriad of characterisations and as we discover, an equally fertile source for suspicion and comedy. Kate Hudson is good fun as the nice-but-dim "Birdie"; Dave Bautista keeps more than you'd think is his budgie-smugglers and Jackie Hoffman steals the show in the very few scenes she graces as his non-nonsense mother. The writing delivers a multi-layered feast - some of it basic and bawdy, some more sophisticated as the story gradually progresses towards a conclusion that navigates the red herrings before a denouement that wasn't quite what I was expecting. It looks really good, and it takes a swing at just about everything from corporate greed, vanity, vacuousness and stupidity - but it does it in a satisfyingly subtle fashion. Though rather slow to get off the ground, once it gets up and running it's a good watch.
Stockholm (2021)
Stockholm
"Alex" (Alex Britt) meets "Ed" (Max Percy) in a London bar where, after a few seconds of flashback, it becomes clear that the former has had a fairly recent traumatic experience that he is determined to recover and progress from. What that was, and with whom is all part of the ambiguity presented to us here from Tom Wright. There are some clues in the rather sparing dialogue but nothing concrete, indeed - it seems that in just ten minutes we are merely being given a rather rudimentary introduction to these two young men and left to fill in - just one too many - blanks ourselves. The production, set in a pub, helps set the scenario of intimacy in a public space quite well, but I found the lack of definitive context in the flashbacks just a little disconcerting and confusing to be effective. Perhaps that was the plan - but it didn't quite deliver for me. It's a curious film to watch, I suspect many of us will get different things from it, but I'd give it a watch - Britt's character has something elusive yet strong about him.
Violent Night (2022)
Violent Night
"Santa" (David Harbour) is getting a bit disillusioned with the whole Christmas thing. He is tired of delivering gifts to modern day children who live in an unappreciative, throw-away, culture and so has taken to the bottle rather. Leaving Bristol one night, he rather drunkenly crash-lands thousands of miles away at the compound of the wealthy and therefore entirely dysfunctional "LIghtstone" family. Now here we have group of people ruled over by matriarch "Gertrude" (Beverly D'Angelo - who just reminded me of Goldie Hawn) who are dealing with their own issues of separation, avarice, precociousness and, yes, I too was already thinking - same old, same old... Wait, though, it seems that this family are the target of some seriously nasty robbers who are after the $300 million hidden in an impenetrable vault in the cellar. "Santa", unwittingly, becomes embroiled in these shenanigans and after being initially desperate to get out of the place, he spots the terrified young "Trudy" (Leah Brady) and, well, someone's goose is about to be cooked! It can't resists wallowing a bit in sentiment at times, and the familial discord stuff is all very old hat, but when the action scenes kick in we are offered a sort of "Home Alone" (1990) meets "Thor" (2011) experience peppered with some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments as, of course, the plot follows it's own, very obvious course. It's violent and gory, but the fact that much of that emanates from this epitome of kindness and avuncularity makes this just a bit different - and quite entertaining - with Harbour carrying it off quite engagingly. It is a bit long, and there are times when you want it to pedal faster, but it's a fun watch that is certainly not for the youngsters!
Your Christmas or Mine? (2022)
Your Christmas or Mine?
So "James" (Asa Butterfield) and girlfriend "Hayley" (Cora Kirk) are saying their goodbyes before heading to their respective families for Christmas. It's only when they are on their separate trains that they realise that they would rather be together, so - without telling each other - they board the other's train. Next thing, she arrives at his and he arrives at her's and what now ensues is a gently comedic tale that quite engagingly illustrates the joys and pains of the season. It turns out that neither have been being entirely honest with each other, or with their families - but can that all get ironed out in time for the turkey? Sure, the story is totally contrived and indulges in just about every Christmas stereotype you can imagine, but there are some fun contributions from Daniel Mays, David Bradley, Dame Harriet Walter and Angela Griffin to help this pass ninety minutes amiably enough. Plenty of snow, a few glasses of mulled wine and a dog called "Peanut" - what's not to like? No, you will not remember it afterwards - even if you haven't had a drink - but it's one of those films that makes you reach for another mince pie at this time of year, and is actually at the better end of these festive television offerings.
A Stormy Night (2020)
A Stormy Night
A threatening storm is playing havoc with flights from New York and causes "Marcos" (David Moragas) to seek shelter at his friend's apartment. She has gone alway to avoid the weather, but her friend "Alan" (Jacob Perkins) is there and the remainder of this film depicts the twenty-four hours (or so) as these two gay men learn a little about each other. It is quite intimately filmed, this - but the whole story is contrived and over-scripted. Perkins brings an intensity to his performance, but the underlying themes of love, happiness, frustration etc... are depressingly familiar. Despite the odd quip and some fairly predictable attempts at humour, this really just comes across as a rather unfulfilling story that left me indifferent to both characters and rather bored with a will they/won't they dynamic that really fails to get off the ground - and never looks like it should either. The audio of the thunder and lightening around them, along with some frequently rather dingy lighting, does lend a little to the atmosphere of the scenario, but in the end Perkins just has way, way too many lines to deliver and, well, eighty minutes seemed to take much longer.
Matilda the Musical (2022)
Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical
I was watching this thinking how much Alisha Weir's performance in the title role reminded me of Emma Watson's "Hermione" from back in 2001! Feisty and intelligent, she is sent by her parents to the "Cruncher Hall" school where she encounters "Miss Trunchbull" (Dame Emma Thompson). Now this is a teacher who would not have looked out of place working with King Herod at Christmas! The children live in fear of her, as do the staff - but as "Matilda" starts to bond with "Miss Honey" (Lashana Lynch) and realises her true potential, well - a rebellion is soon in the offing! It's a strong story this - Dahl addressed many issues of neglectful parenting, bullying, intimidation and sexual stereotyping and Tim Minchin puts much of that sentiment effectively to music with a clever and entertaining lyric. The almost unrecognisable Dame Emma is on top form exuding an almost ridiculous degree of menace as helped by her array of cctv cameras, she rules the school with a rod of iron. Weir really enters into the spirit of things - she puts her heart and soul into the enthusiastic, mischievous and engaging character and with some enjoyably choreographed ensemble dance numbers this all delivers well. It still has a bit of the theatrical to it, some of the production doesn't quite make the best use of the flexibility the big screen offers, but the toe-tapping "Naughty" and "Revolting Children" help put a smile on your face for a surprisingly quickly-paced two hours.
Peg of Old Drury (1935)
Peg of Old Drury
Herbert Wilcox assembled a pretty strong cast for this historical romance. Anna Neagle is the eponymous "Peg" who comes to London from Ireland with her beau "Michael" (Jack Hawkins). He promptly dumps her and she decides to make a career on the stage. With the assistance of impresario David Garrick (Sir Cedric Hardwicke) she becomes an huge success wowing crowds at the famous "Theatre Royal" in Drury Lane - and enticing Garrick to fall for her... Her success brings back the now unwanted attentions of her erstwhile beau and also some serious health issues at which point the story becomes a touch too melodramatic. It is fortunate that much of this is set in/around the theatre as the performances are very much in that mould - intentionally or not. Small sets, narrow-focus photography and jauntily composed music keep this jolly drama rolling along well enough, though the dialogue meanders at times. There are some quite decent visual effects here, for 1935, too.
Larceny (1948)
Larceny
Poor old war widow "Deb" (Joan Caulfield) is hoodwinked into donating her savings to build a memorial to her late husband by the sharp "Rick" (John Payne). It turns out that there is no such edifice, but "Rick" isn't able to be quite as cold and calculating as usual. He starts to fall for this dignified and respectable woman. That's a risky scenario, for his boss "Silky" (Dan Duryea) just wants the cash, and that's that. It doesn't help either that his bosses gal "Tory" (Shelley Winters) is pretty flaky, also quite keen on "Rick" and is quite shrewd at manipulation, too! Payne was never exactly versatile nor, for that matter, was the usually wooden Duryea but they do well enough with this solid story and whilst there is an inevitability to the ending, George Sherman manages to keep this well paced for 90 minutes and Winters plays her part really quite effectively. The lighting could have done with some extra wattage at times, but it is still good watch.
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
X-Men: The Last Stand
After a brief respite in "X2" (2003) we have reverted to the rather procedural and unexciting format for this third instalment of malevolent mutant-mayhem. This time "Magneto" (Sir Ian McKellen) is outraged when the human government develops a top secret cure for mutants. On the face of it, this is going to lead to another simple battle royal between the forces of our man-metal and his eternal nemesis "Xavier" (Patrick Stewart) and his army of fair-minded supporters led by "Wolverine" (Hugh Jackman). Thing is, though, "Magneto" has an ace up his sleeve in the form of the "Dark Phoenix" that has turned "Jean Gray" (Famke Janssen) into something more lethal than anyone can imagine. Can she be stopped, persuaded, destroyed? It's really a bit of same old, same old, this - great visual effects, loads of pyrotechnics and a good old dose of good versus evil, but the story is actually pretty weak and the dialogue seems to regurgitate much of that from the first film. Jackman really tries to inject a sense of thrill into this, and there's no denying that Ben Foster looks particularly hot with his angelic wings, but otherwise it might as well be another episode in a Marvel mini-series that you just know will deliver nothing more at the end than an opportunity for a sequel. It is a good looking film, but the two leads are overly hammy, and Kelsey Grammer isn't the only one to feel a bit blue at the seriously over-orchestrated denouement.