‘Stagecoach’

A small group of passengers take the stagecoach across dangerous territory as they each look to find their own escape or redemption.

With Geronimo and the Apache threatening, the regular journey from Tonto to military Lordsburg across traditional Apache lands is made the more dangerous. The disparate group joining the stagecoach have their own reasons to leave Tonto including Dallas (Claire Trevor), marched as she is to her departure by the local moral majority, local bank manager Henry Gatewood (Berton Churchill) with more than clothing in an overnight bag and The Ringo Kid (John Wayne) out to prove he’s been wrongly accused of a crime.

As the journey moves from outpost to outpost, so relationships evolve between passengers and crew with the warring Apache an increasing threat. With the alcoholic Doc Josiah Boone (a splendid Thomas Mitchell) increasingly drunk and romance blooming between the Kid and Dallas, so Stagecoach evolves into a classic frontier epic seemlessly directed by John Ford.

Nominated for 7 Oscars in 1940 including best film, director, cinematography – won 2 (Thomas Mitchell for best supporting actor and musical score).

Rating: 64%

Director: John Ford (The Grapes of Wrath, The Quiet Man)

Writer: Dudley Nichols (Bringing Up Baby, The Informer), Ben Hecht (Notorious, Scarface) – based on story by Ernest Haycox

Main cast: John Wayne (True Grit, The Alamo), Claire Trevor (Key Largo, Dead End), Thomas Mitchell (It’s a Wonderful Life, Gone With the Wind), John Carradine (The Grapes of Wrath, The Ten Commandments)

‘Taekwondo’

A dialogue heavy male bonding narrative with underlying homoeroticism as a group of twentysomething longstanding friends take time out at a closed-down spa resort outside Buenos Aires.

Languid times by the pool, saunas, barbecues, football – the eight men talk, laugh, play, eat, smoke, argue long into the night. Owner of the spa, Fer (Lucas Papa) has invited Germán (Gabriel Epstein), his Taekwondo partner, to join them. A mutual attraction exists but both men are nervous within the very straight environment around them.

Directors Marco Berger and Martin Farino allow the naturalism of the narrative to unfold gently as the lazy summer days slowly draw to a close. The connection between Fer and Germán grows. But intertwined with the nakedness and semi-nakedness of the others who are totally comfortable within themselves and with each other, the two are reliant on silences, covert glances and eye contact in this sensuous tale of sexual awakening.

Rating: 63%

Director: Marco Berger (Butterfly, The Blonde One), Martín Farino (El fulgor, The Professional)

Writer: Marco Berger (Butterfly, The Blonde One)

Main cast: Lucas Papa , Gabriel Epstein (Loco x vox, TV’s Soy luna), Francisco Bertín (Argentina 1985, Doble discorso)

‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent’

A reflective tongue-in-cheek evaluation of a fictionalised self by movie star Nicolas Cage becomes hijacked when he accepts an invitation by a super fan to attend his birthday celebrations on a private Spanish island.

As Cage evaluates the lack of a relationship with teenage daughter Addy (Lily Mo Sheen) and ex-wife (Sharon Horgan), so he accepts an invitation by Javi Gutierrez (Pedro Pascal) to travel to Spain. But on arrival, his services are sequestered by CIA agent Vivian (Tiffany Haddish) in the belief Gutierrez is the head of a major criminal gang.

An amusing opening twenty minutes or so is sadly upended by a poorly advised espionage thriller as many of Cage’s film characters are called upon to infiltrate the shady goings-on in the Gutierrez household. Skewering celebrity culture it may be, but as directed by Tom Gormican, it’s little more than a dull, crass regurgitation of silliness.

Rating: 40%

Director: Tom Gormican (That Awkward Moment)

Writer: Tom Gormican (That Awkward Moment, TV’s Ghosted), Kevin Etten TV’s Desperate Housewives, Workalholics)

Main cast: Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas, Face/Off), Pedro Pascal (Wonder Woman 1984, The Adjustment Bureau), Tiffany Haddish (The Card Counter, Girls Trip), Paco León (You Keep the Kids, Kiki – el amor se hace)

‘Blue Velvet’

Overly stylised, heavily symbolic crime drama as, on discovering a human ear, a student finds himself drawn into the darker side of his provincial home town.

Unrepentant in its weirdness, director David Lynch sees Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) naively walk into a world of murder, violence and extortion. The ear leads to the apartment of sultry club singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini) and the psychotic Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper) who has kidnapped Dorothy’s husband and daughter.

Stilted and wooden (Lynch trademarks), Blue Velvet inverts the white picket fence blandness of Reagan’s middle America. Disturbing and challenging with its sadomasochism and misogynist undercurrents, a cold, fractured art house narrative creates an uncomfortable voyeurism with an invasive score from Angelo Badalamenti.

Nominated for 1 Oscar in 1987 – best director

Rating: 50%

Director: David Lynch (The Elephant Man, Dune)

Writer: David Lynch (The Elephant Man, Dune)

Main cast: Kyle MacLachlan (Dune), Isabella Rossellini (A Matter of Time, White Nights), Dennis Hopper (Easy Rider, Cool Hand Luke), Laura Dern (Mask, Foxes)

‘Seriously Red’

Quirky, off-kilter Australian story as Red, an unfocussed drifter dipping in and out of life struggling with low esteem, determines to make a career as a Dolly Parton impersonator.

Living at home in her mother’s converted garage, Red (Krew Boylan) is drifting through aimless, dead end jobs and hanging out with best mate Francis (Thomas Campbell). The one thing she does take seriously is her love of Dolly Parton. A chance encounter results in Red discovering a club run by Wilson (Bobby Cannavale) and the world of tribute artists and impersonators. Himself a former successful Neil Diamond, Wilson teams Red up with ‘Kenny Rogers’ (Daniel Webber) for the Islands in the Stream residency in Hong Kong. Success and love follow – but for how long?

Irreverent and lightweight, directed by Gracie Otto, Seriously Red is a try-too-hard comedy that doesn’t quite pay off. Self and identity may be at its core but Krew Boylan’s self-scripted star vehicle feels too contrived and forced.

Rating: 43%

Director: Gracie Otto (Under the Volcano, TV’s The Clearing)

Writer: Krew Boylan

Main cast: Krew Boylan (TV’s Sando, Molly), Daniel Webber (Escape From Pretoria, TV’s 11.22.63), Rose Byrne (Spy, Bridesmaids), Bobby Cannavale (Blue Jasmine, Ant-Man), Thomas Campbell (MaveriX, Love & Monsters)

‘Tár’

Set in the world of classical music and orchestras, Tár is an intense character study of (fictional) Lydia Tár, the first female director of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Singularly focussed, Lydia Tár (Cate Blanchett) divides her time between her music, her orchestra and a Berlin-based homelife with wife, Sharon (Nina Hoss) and young daughter. As a trailblazer, under immense pressure to succeed in a male-dominated environment, accusations begin to circulate about her treatment, past and present, of aspiring young women within the orchestra.

A fascinating exploration of obsession, power and its destructive forces, Tár, shot in a cold, wintery palette or overly darkened interiors, is a dense, challenging narrative. Central is the towering performance from the arrogant, imperious Blanchett, rising perfectly to the ruthless, uncompromising script from Todd Field.

Nominated for 6 Oscars in 2023 including best film, director, actress, original screenplay.

Rating: 86%

Director: Todd Field (Little Children, In the Bedroom)

Writer: Todd Field (Little Children, In the Bedroom)

Main cast: Cate Blanchett (The Aviator, Blue Jasmine), Nina Hoss (Phoenix, Barbara), Noémie Merlant (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, The Innocent)

‘GoodFellas’

Classic Martin Scorsese mafia film pairing Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Ray Liotta that is brutal, relentless, appalling and unmissable.

1950s Brooklyn and a young Henry Hill is enamoured with the mob. Slowly, he works his way in, from messenger boy and fence for Paulie Cicero (Paul Sorvino), the local Caporegime, to fully fledged crew member. Henry (Ray Liotta) becomes part of an inseperable trio with Jimmy (De Niro) and Tommy (an extraordinarily unpleasant Joe Pesci). Robbery, murder, drugs, money become part of their everyday.

Cicero remains part of the life of the triage throughout the 1960s and ’70s as loyalty and family are constant – even an eight year prison sentence for all fails to break bonds. But such a continued lifestyle sees Henry eventually break.

A soaring, violent, bloody, stylised narrative, GoodFellas is regarded by critics as one of the greatest mob films ever made. Personally, due to its occasional over-stylised presentation and slippage into hysteria of storytelling, it’s not a view shared. But that does not detract from the fact it remains a superb piece of filmmaking.

Nominated for 6 Oscars in 1991 including best film, director, supporting actress (Lorraine Bracco), adapted screenplay, won 1 for best supporting actor (Joe Pesci).

Rating: 84%

Director: Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, The Irishman)

Writer: Martin Scorsese (Casino, Mean Streets), Nicholas Pileggi (Casino, City Hall) – based on Nicholas Pileggi book Wiseguy

Main cast: Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver, The Irishman), Joe Pesci (Raging Bull, My Cousin Vinny), Ray Liotta (The Many Saints of Newark, Narc), Paul Sorvino (Nixon, The Birthday Cake), Lorraine Bracco (The Birthday Cake, TV’s The Sopranos)

‘The Glenn Miller Story’

A light and superficial entertainment of a biopic that charts the rise of one of the greatest of bandleaders.

From early days of pawning his trombone to his tragic disappearance in heavy fog off the English coast in 1944, Glenn Miller (James Stewart) lived for his music. When best mate Chummy (Harry Morgan) gets him to audition for popular bandleader Ben Pollack, after a few setbacks there’s no looking back. The successes of the likes of Moonlight Serenade allow Miller and wife Helen (June Allyson) to live a comfortable life with their two children. But that success is shortlived with his disappearance.

Avoiding natural and (known) professional conflict and featuring bandleaders of the day such as Louis Armstrong and Ben Pollack, The Glenn Miller Story is a squeaky-clean yet mellow and comfortable telling from director Anthony Mann.

Nominated for 3 Oscars in 1955 including best script and musical score, won 1 for sound

Rating: 55%

Director: Anthony Mann (El Cid, The Heroes of Telemark)

Writer: Valentine Davies (Miracle on 34th Street, The Bridges at Toko-Ri), Oscar Brodney (Harvey, Tammy & the Bachelor)

Main cast: James Stewart (Vertigo, It’s a Wonderful Life), June Allyson (Executive Suite, Little Women), Harry Morgan (High Noon, TV’s M*A*S*H)

‘Amores perros’

Raw, visceral storytelling as a car accident inextricably links the lives of three perfect strangers.

Looking to escape a life of poverty and misery, Octavio (Gael García Bernal) has saved money through his beloved Rottweiler and illegal dog fights. Local supermodel Valeria (Goya Toledo) has moved into a new apartment with her married lover Daniel (Álvaro Guerrero) and pampered pooch, Richie. Homeless drifter and former political activist El Chivo (Emilio Echevarría) wonders the streets of Mexico City with his collection of stray dogs. It’s Octavio, driver of the car in a desperate attempt to leave behind the violence of the streets, who changes lives.

Gritty, bloody, violent from director Alejandro G. Iñárritu in his feature film debut, Amores perros is a fierce crescendo as several narratives meet head on, taking no prisoners.

Nominated for best foreign language film Oscar in 2001.

Rating: 83%

Director: Alejandro G. Iñárritu (The Revenant, Babel)

Writer: Guillermo Arriaga (The Burning Plain, Babel)

Main cast: Gael García Bernal (The Motorcycle Diaries, Bad Education), Emilio Echevarría (Y tu mamá también, Babel), Goya Toledo (Marsella, La Fortaleza), Álvaro Guerrero (The Mission, La civil), Marco Pérez (Gloria, Desierto), Adriana Barraza (Babel, Thor).

‘Hijack’

A thrilling, suspenseful seven episode miniseries as a passenger plane between Dubai and London is hijacked. But those responsible have no way of knowing top corporate negotiator Sam Nelson (Idris Elba) is booked on the flight.

Returning to a broken home where his wife Marsha (Christine Adams) is involved in a relationship with Detective Daniel O’Farrell (Max Beesley), Nelson decides at the last minute to board the London-bound flight. Sitting in first-class, he soon regrets the decision as, shortly after take-off and under the leadership of Atterton (Stuart Maskell), the plane is hijacked – with pilot Robin Allen (Ben Miles) breaking the rules in allowing access to the cockpit in order to save lives. Told in real time, the journey remains confusingly unaltered, destination London, with radio silence from the plane as ground staff and British anti-terrorism staff mobilise.

As Elba negotiates to save lives of passengers and crew members, Dubai airport staff are found murdered and air traffic controller Alice Sinclair (Eve Myles) – the first to suspect something is wrong – tracks the flight, keeping the British government and European airport authorities abreast of the unfolding events aboard flight KA29.

The tension is palpable in the first four or so episodes of Hijack as action switches between the claustrophobia of the plane to air traffic control to the anti-terrorism offices. Added to the mix are more personal stories in both Dubai and London. Whilst flawed and the suspense drops a notch or two when it becomes more apparent who and what is behind the hijacking, the thrills and uncertainties remain to the end, resulting in a gripping seven hour flight.

Rating: 74%