Nativity 2009

Starring: Martin Freeman

An improvised comedy based around a school nativity play.

For the first time, I ventured past 1989 for my Sunday morning movie. Just absolutely loved this. With Christmas just a week away, it had feelgood factor, was genuinely funny and all the kids were brilliant. Martin Freeman pitches it just right and all the supporting cast a delight.    10/10

Chained for life 1950

Starring: Violet & Daisy Hilton

One of two girl siamese twins is accused of murder.

Not much plot and a lot of time watching juggles, trick cyclists and rifle shooters. The fascinating thing here is the verdict. If one of a pair of Siamese twins is found guilty, could you imprison her and punish the innocent siamese twin. Fascinating thought.    4/10

The Front 1976

Starring: Woody Allen

For a small commission, a bookmaker puts his name to scripts by blacklisted writers.

What an interesting topic and the credits at the end made it more meaningful. I'm just not the greatest Woody Allen fan. He's the same in every movie, he just talks....a lot and you sitting there desperate for him to get to the point. One of his better films for me though, Zero Mostel was superb.    6/10

My Six Loves 1963

Starring: Debbie Reynolds

A musical comedy star goes to the country for a rest and with the help of the local minister adopts six scruffy children.

Chaotic at times with the noise but I guess that's kind of the point. In honesty, I found this an absolute delight and was rooting for the kids all the way through. On Netflix and well worth a watch.     9/10

Joseph Andrews 1977

Starring: Peter Firth

Adventures of a naive 18th-century footman

Bawdy comedy in a similar vain to Tom Jones. Lots of short scenes which didn't always come together. There were lots of tits and bums, but I actually quite enjoyed it although it never made me laugh out loud. They must have spent a complete fortune on costumes.     6/10

The Seventh Seal 1957

Starring: Max Von Sydow

Death comes for a knight, who challenges him to a game of chess while he tries to show illustrations of goodness in mankind: but death takes them all away in the end.

Slightly odd and with subtitles, a little difficult to follow at times. However, the chess game was kind of compelling and the whole thing was ever so slightly mesmerizing.     4/10

Red Sonja 1985

Starring: Brigitte Nielsen

In the times of sword and sorcery, Sonja avenges her sister's death and deposes an evil queen.

Schwarzenegger definitely improved as an actor with experience, this movie was not good. A shame really as the sets and costumes were amazing. Terrible acting by pretty much everyone, but particularly Nielsen, the young king and his sidekick, made this movie laughable.     4/10

The Phantom light 1934

Starring: Gordon Harker

Wreckers try to scare off a new lighthouse keeper.

I guess for the early 1930's, this was quite effectively done. It's lost its humour over the decades and the suspense doesn't quite work on a small screen at home, had some nice touches though.    4/10

The light in the forest 1958

Starring: James MacArthur

Kidnapped by Indians as an infant, a teenager is returned to his parents but finds the white man's ways disturbing.

A little downbeat for a Disney movie, not badly done, but the movie would have had so much more impact if the ending had been reversed and the Indians were not always betrayed as the bad guys. Book 'em Danno....            6/10

Apache 1954

Starring: Burt Lancaster

After the surrender of Geronimo, one Apache leader is unconquered; After creating much havoc, he settles for domesticity, and the white men let him go unharmed.

Of the thousands of movies I've seen, I have seen all the major stars but can honestly say, I've never seen a Burt Lancaster film I haven't enjoyed. This is no exception, I'm not convinced he looked anywhere near authentic, more fancy dress costume. But it was an enjoyable movie, he had great chemistry with Jean Peters and it had an ending you would never have expected at the start of the movie.       7/10

Treasure Island 1971

Starring: Orson Welles

I think I've been spoilt and influenced by stage productions and pantomime. Very true to the book but in all honesty, it was just a bit dull.         4/10

The Killer is loose 1956

Starring: Joseph Cotten

A bank robber swears revenge on a policeman who accidentally killed his wife.

Standard killer on the run movie, but killer is believable and there's a reasonable amount of suspense.           6/10  

The Private lives of Elizabeth and Essex 1939

Starring: Bette Davis

Elizabeth 1 falls in love with the Earl Of Essex, but events turn him into a rebel and she has to order his execution.

Errol Flynn was strong, Olivia De Havilland beautiful, but this was all about Bette Davis. I have no idea how accurate a portrayal this was, but it was a sublime performance. Great viewing, a fascinating time.      6/10

Deadly strangers 1974

Starring: Hayley Mills

A girl accepts a lift from a motorist at a time when a mad strangler is on the loose.

Very 1970's and where every male seems to be a raging sex maniac. So many questions in my mind were suddenly answered in a brilliant last five minutes. For once, the flashbacks were brief and yet gave you so much background into the characters behaviour. Excellent movie.      9/10

Stolen Heaven 1931

Staring: Nancy Carroll

A boy and girl decide to commit suicide after spending the twenty thousand dollars they've stolen, but neither can go through with it.

Very dated, but the movie was held together by a very spirited performance from Nancy Carroll. A bit static at times but had some nice moments.    4/10

Yes sir, that's my baby 1949

Starring: Donald O'Connor

Ex-service undergraduates and their wives have trouble settling down to studies.

A poor man's Three men and a  baby. Light comedy and oddly, about 25 minutes in, the two leads sang a song, this was followed about 5 minutes later by a full production number. The American football scenes were less than convincing but this did make me smile a few times and laugh on one occasion. Sad to see that Gloria De Haven had recently passed away.     5/10

Over The Top 1987

Starring: Sylvester Stallone

An arm wrestler tries to win the love of his son.

As a father/son bonding movie, I didn't think this was bad and Stallone showed an extra dimension to some of his other roles. The inevitable arm wrestling show at the end was predictable and less than interesting but not the worst Stallone movie I've ever seen.    7/10

Free for all 1949

Starring: Robert Cummings

A young inventor finds a way of turning water into petrol.

Excellent little comedy with such a simple plot but well paced and with a fine sprinkling of humour. Available on Youtube and well worth a view.     8/10

Under the rainbow 1981

Starring: Chevy Chase

Nazis and midgets mingle backstage while The Wizard Of Oz is being filmed.

Second week in a row I've had an absolute stinker. Politically incorrect in so many ways, loud, confused, lacking in any kind of plot or humour, richly bizarre in so many ways. Who comes up with these ideas?.......   2/10

Motel hell 1980

Starring: Rory Calhoun

Benign motel owners are famous for their spiced meat, which is in fact made from their human guests.

A Sweeney Todd wannabe but shouldn't be mentioned in the same breath. To me, horror and comedy just do not mix. Horror movies are at their best due to the tension created, tension and comedy cannot be achieved. This bored the life out of me.      1/10

Smash-up, The story of a woman 1947

Starring: Susan Hayward

The story of a lady alcoholic.

A very serious subject. Susan Heyward acts her socks off as a woman wracked with fear, loneliness and frustration. A little single paced which made it feel over-long, this is an issue even more relevant today than the era in which it was made.      6/10

Batman 1966

Starring: Adam West

The cloaked avenger saves an important executive from the clutches of four of the World's most notorious criminals.

I loved Batman when I was a boy although surprisingly, I'd never ticked off the feature length movie. Adam West and Burt Ward will always be Batman & Robin in my eyes. Cheesy, corny, ridiculous, I loved every minute and all four major villains were together to add to the fun.  7/10

Behind the high wall 1956

Starring: Tom Tully

A prison warder, taken as hostage by escaping convicts, steals some of the money they have taken.

Very dark throughout and just never grabbed my interest. Lots of dramatic music and shouting but little to entertain or fire the imagination.     2/10

It happened to Jane 1959

Starring: Doris Day

A lady lobster dealer becomes involved in a battle with the railroad whose inefficiency affects her business.

A bit of a missed opportunity in my book with Doris Day & Jack Lemon's comic timing not given an opportunity due to a frantic, shouty script. Some nice scenes thought and some lovely shots of small town America.        5/10

Rebecca of Sunnybrook farm 1938

Starring; Shirley Temple

A child performer becomes a pawn in the fight to exploit her talents on radio.

I expected to find Shirley Temple precocious, I actually found her an absolute delight. Some great musical numbers throughout and a superb closing tap dance scene. Nice to see Randolph Scott in an animated role, he actually had really good comic timing.      7/10

The Magic box 1951

Starring: Robert Donat

The life of William Friese-Greene, a British cinema pioneer who died in poverty.

Really interesting biopic. I'm slightly confused as to why they didn't run his life sequentially rather than starting near the finish, jumping backwards and then forwards to the end again. Loads of star cameos, I really interesting piece about a gentleman who I'd never heard of but enjoyed researching after the movie ended.      6/10

The Thirteenth guest 1932

Starring: Ginger Rogers

A haunted house, a will at midnight, and a frightened lady.

Agatha Christie like but done with a light hand. The humnour helped it along and for its time, I've seen a lot worse.        6/10

Young and innocent 1937

Starring: Nova Pilbeam

A girl goes on the run with her boyfriend when he is suspected of murder.

An early Hitchcock, some of the shots have his signature written all over them. Started okay but then got a bit muddled and confused and my mind started to wander.       3/10

Harold and Maude 1971

Starring: Bud Cort

A repressed young man, fixated on death and funerals, has an affair with an 80-year old woman.

A very black comedy. Some of the self harm scenes were quite amusing, I just never bought the relationship. Maude looked nowhere near 80 and there was no chemistry between the two. A cult classic I know, didn't work for me.          3/10

The Black Arrow 1948

Starring: Louis Hayward

During the Wars Of The Roses, an English knight seeks the murderer of his father.

A bit like Robin Hood but set in a different location and period. Plot moved at pace and plenty of swash and buckle. Rather good fun.        7/10

Little Fauss and Big Halsy 1970

Starring: Robert Redford

Two motor cycle track racers team up and have violent adventures around the country.

As much as I like Robert Redford, this movie didn't hit the mark for me. It needed a stronger plot, it just seemed to drift along in a cloud of desert dust and scantily clad women. Just never found it interesting.          4/10

Demetrius and the gladiators 1954

Starring: Victor Mature

A Greek slave who keeps Christ's robe after the crucifixion is sentenced to be one of Caligula's gladiators and becomes involved in Messalina's wiles.

Big Hollywood production, not at all bad and had a great cast. I particularly enjoyed Jay Robinson's Caligula, a mixture of mad and evil, nicely done! Plenty of action, at times it needed a little more pace but any movie where a hero wrestles with tigers cannot be all bad.     6/10

The Glass key 1935

Starring: Edward Arnold

A slightly corrupt but good-natured politician is saved by his henchman from being implicated in a murder.

One of those 1930's movies that had no light and shade and is just continual talking. A never fully figured out the plot and never felt engaged with it at any time. Ah well, you get these from time to time.    2/10

Footsteps in the fog 1955

Starring: Stewart Granger

A Victorian murderer plans to eliminate a blackmailing maid.

Really well plotted and clearly laid out movie with several twists and turns that all made sense. I'm not the biggest fan of Stewart Granger but he was excellent in this, I've always looked out for Jean Simmons as my Mum used to see her walk down the road as a young lady, she was also excellent. Great little melodrama that had me completely engrossed.      9/10

Violent Saturday 1955

Staring: Richard Egan

Crooks move quietly into a small town with the intention of robbing the bank.

Not bad. A lot of the build up to the inevitable was fluff but things did tie up nicely at the end so that it all made sense. The final shoot out at the Amish barn was nicely handled.      6/10 

The Greengage Summer 1961

Starring: Kenneth More

A young girl staying at a hotel falls in love with a jewel thief but is accidentally responsible for his capture.

Gentle movie that had a touch of The Railway Children about it. Capturing the moment where a girl steps between being a girl and a woman. Nicely acted and there were some brilliant moments of lighting.      6/10

Better off dead 1985

Starring: John Cusack

When his fickle girlfriend leaves him, a lonely teenager becomes despondent, but the sun shines when another girl shows interest.

Early John Cusack film. Had some extremely weird and wacky moments but also had some amusing continuous threads running throughout. I actually really warmed to it and it put a smile on my face.     7/10

Bill and Coo 1947

Trials and tribulations of the inhabitants of Chirpendale are enacted entirely by birds, mostly wearing hats and neckties.

How very odd. An entire movie with just birds. Quite amusing for the first 5 minutes but it's a 'One-trick pony' , the charm soon wears off and there's nothing else to it.   2/10

Operattion daybreak 1975

Starring: Timothy Bottoms

In 1941, Czech patriots kill the hated Nazi Heydrich and are hunted down.

Fascinating portrayal of a true story. The sheer brutality of the times is mind-boggling. Excellent performances despite the odd bit of strange casting (Diane Coupland!?!). Really enjoyed it as a movie, I was on the edge of my seat.     10/10

The Man who could work miracles 1936

Starring: Roland Young

A city clerk discovers he has the power to woek miracles (given him by sportive gods) and nearly causes the end of the Earth.

H.G Wells story. All a lot of nonsense although it does have a moralistic story attached to it. I guess for the time, the special effects were cutting edge and it was certainly an enjoyable movie to watch.          8/10

Too late for tears 1949

Starring: Lizabeth Scott

A lady bluebeard disposes of both husbands and boyfriends.

More twists and turns than a twisty, turny thing. So long as you buy the premise of a suitcase full of money being thrown into a speeding car, it wasn't too bad. Lizabeth Scott was completely believable and despite coincidences and detectives proving to be better than Sherlock Holmes, this was quite good fun.         6/10

Touch of evil 1958

Starring: Charlton Heston

A Mexican narcotics investigator honeymooning in a border town clashes with the local police chief over a murder.

Ridiculously dark and crushingly boring. I lost intesrt about 10 minutes in and it never returned. Waste of a really good cast.       1/10

It happened at the World's Fair 1962

Starring: Elvis Presley

At the Seattle World's Fair, two crop-dusting pilots have romantic intrigues.

I always seem to end up having at least one Elvis film each year, I actually really enjoyed this one. Nice little plot, songs were easy on the ear and th elittle girl who featured as much as Elvis, was charming.        8/10

The St Valentine's day massacre 1967

Starring: Jason Robards Jr

The twenties gang war between Al Capone and Bugs Moran.

Semi-documentary like, it was interesting from a historical point of view. Other than that, it was a lot of machine gun fire and you just raise your eyebrows at the stupidity of the whole era.       4/10

The Naked kiss 1964

Starring: Constance Towers

A prostitute tries to enter mainstream society.

Constance Towers is very good in an interesting movie. Slightly confusing and downbeat, there are some lovely scenes although all lit very darkly. The occasional 60's psychedelic soundtrack makes you want to run screaming from the room.        5/10

Kidnapped 1971

Starring: Michael Caine

Remake incorporating sections of Catriona. 

Three versions of this classic story in my film book and I hadn't seen any of them. Fantastic setting with some stunning scenery, the plot was interesting enough with some enjoyable action along the way. I do enjoy Michael Caine movies but his accent in this was great when it was there, but tended to go walkabout in the middle of speeches.  6/10