Films / December 25

Son Of Fury (1942) / Only The Brave (2017) / Whirlpool (1950) / The Prom (2020) / The Razor's Edge (1946) / The Seventh Veil (1945) / Time Trap (2017)

Son Of Fury (1942) Rousingly made, fleet-footed historical tale of revenge and South Seas harmony, with luxurious production values as gorgeous as its cast. Amid the spectacle and lush visuals, there's even time for a discussion of inequality while a witty Dudley Digges is an Act 3 scene-stealer.

Only The Brave (2017) With intoxicating images that simultaneously capture the beauty and danger of fire, a technically consummate production with likeable performances building a close sense of community and deepening true-life tragedy. A finely crafted tale that dovetails epic heroism with personal loss.

Whirlpool (1950) Increasingly bonkers narrative elevated by Gene Tierney's kleptomania minded victim of snarling Jose Ferrer's murderous hypnotist. Some smart dialog and atmospheric moments amid the B movie hysteria provide minor diversions before a suitably melodramatic finale.

The Prom (2020) A captivating musical with heart to spare. Thematically uneven, narratively messy, carried by a parade of genuine performances, catchy songs and energetically choreographed, glossily designed sequences. Its all-inclusive finale can't help but swell up emotions.

The Razor's Edge (1946) Lusciously produced, with extended sequences of pure cinema, a traumatized war veteran travels to Paris and the Himalayas to find meaning to life. Visual beauty contrasts with often clunky dialog, though the tragic souls of Gene Tierney and Anne Baxter pierce the worthy ideas.

The Seventh Veil (1945) Seductively shot with a pervading sense of gothic romance, a wickedly enjoyable tale as repressed Anne Todd cracks under the glare of brooding James Mason. Though it falters during the third act, hugely satisfying melodramatic nonsense, expertly orchestrated.

Time Trap (2017) Technically proficient, narratively jumbled, young cave explorers are lost in time and battle the past and future. Revelations are less surprising than confusing and the story rhythms dry out any tension, denying potentially interesting details from gaining any dramatic impact.

Films / December 18

Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) / A Bridge Too Far (1977) / Hillbilly Elegy (2020) / Women In Love (1969) / Ofrenda A La Tormenta (2020) / The Savage Bees (1976) / The Incredible Melting Man (1977) / Ava (2020)

Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) From the opening shoot-out to the final, indelible shots, a classically framed tale of power and revenge, so full of the glorious, giddy potential of cinema (picture, sound, design, music) that each viewing is essential. A sun-blasted elegy for the western.

A Bridge Too Far (1977) A grim epic, with expansive, expertly crafted action sequences suffused with a sense of loss amid the blood and bullets. The all-star cast are grounded though the narrative of Allied mistakes and daring in Holland stretches endurance despite the spectacle.

Hillbilly Elegy (2020) Precisely made and told, with impressive, committed performances from Amy Adams and Glenn Close, yet offering nothing new in terms of social or political view, and nothing surprising in narrative or character development. Frustratingly inert and unemotional.

Women In Love (1969) Gorgeously and intelligently mounted, a mix of vibrantly imagined visuals and verbal ruminations on love and life, sometimes pretentious, often self-conscious, always strikingly lit and designed. Funny and beguiling, luminous performances add to the heady atmosphere.

Ofrenda A La Tormenta (2020) Final film in trilogy revolving around Marta Etura's tormented police inspector, a cleverly conceived fusion of the procedural and supernatural culminating with a satisfying conclusion. Amping up the shocks as well as the visual sheen, a seamless and intense thriller that accentuates the emotional.

The Savage Bees (1976) / The Incredible Melting Man (1977) Forever tied together as a UK double-bill release, two films with titles that explain exactly what you get. Minor efforts with little suspense or narrative comprehension though plenty of gratuitous buzzing and melting.

Ava (2020) Nobody sets out to make a poor film and the skill and professionalism of artists and technicians can always be recognised. The frustration is when lack of imagination flattens any narrative or visceral tension. Nothing here is remotely dramatic or believable.

Films / December 11

Blowup (1966)  / Sabotage (1936) / That Uncertain Feeling (1941) / The Boys From Brazil (1978) / Badland (2019) / The Ghost And Mrs Muir (1947) / Legado En Los Huesos (2019)

Blowup (1966) More a state of mind than a cohesive narrative, the composition of visuals and rhythm of the edit are gradually, giddily intoxicating as a photographer searches London for meaning to his images. Emerging from the decadence is the struggle for art and illusive reach for relevance. Compulsive viewing.

Sabotage (1936) A richly atmospheric London provides the backdrop for anarchist destruction. Dark humor, tense detail and a streamlined story are the bedrock for some thrilling sequences and a captivating Sylvia Sidney is the emotional, anguished heart that leads to murder.

That Uncertain Feeling (1941) Slight, meandering comedy of a marriage under threat from the routine of time, a mix of mannered dialogue and screwball antics. The touch is light and the cast is enjoyable, delivering on sufficient laughs and maintaining interest in a minor effort.

The Boys From Brazil (1978) Smartly produced and visualized, with intelligent and atmospheric production design, even as the plot to clone Hitler veers from drama to parody. Over-stuffed with stars and lost for a clear tone, though Jerry Goldsmith's thrilling score is a classic, embodying all the film reaches for.

Badland (2019) Solid, slow-burn storytelling of a troubled, weary avenger in post Civil War America, with beats as predictable as they are effective. Deliberately old fashioned thematically as well as cinematically, the locations and cast are attractive if fleeting in the memory.

The Ghost And Mrs Muir (1947) Delicate, sharply written romance, with strong Gene Tierney and Edna Best performances anchoring the emotion, and punctuated with smart lines and humor. Bernard Herrmann supplies the true soul, a score of yearning, passion and loss that sings with pure emotion.

Legado En Los Huesos (2019) Slickly produced and designed, performed with intensity, yet without a compelling drive. Narrative and supernatural twists prove more confusing than surprising, though the flooded town is impressively handled as the heroine chases her murderous mother.

Films / December 4

Slap Shot (1977) / Heaven Can Wait (1943) / Leave Her To Heaven (1944) / Contratiempo (2017) / Jamaica Inn (1939) / The Fury (1978) / Dragonwyck (1946)

Slap Shot (1977) Bleak realities of a failing industrial town finds release when local, losing hockey team turns to unrepentant violence (and even stripping). Riotously funny, brutally made and shot through with hard realism beyond the thrill. A terrific Paul Newman personifies the film.

Heaven Can Wait (1943) Playful and constantly amusing, peppered with sly wit and laugh out loud moments, Don Ameche's hero is as charming and devious as the narrative. Sumptuously lit and designed, with a magnetic Gene Tierney supplying the heart that can keep him out of hell.

Leave Her To Heaven (1944) Beautifully visualized and crafted genre mash up that gradually ensnares with its languid style contrasted with Gene Tierney's piercing intensity. The cool horror of the lake death is a perfect summation of fragile obsession splintered and lost to the depths.

Contratiempo (2017) An increasingly complex and extended play on the 'locked-room' murder mystery, the cold narrative dynamics and shifting truth tends to overshadow any character empathy, even as the intrigue and tension builds. Fernando Velazquez delivers another fine score.

Jamaica Inn (1939) After the impressively handled opening shipwreck, a curiously subdued and anonymous drama, especially considering the potential of pairing Charles Laughton and Robert Newton. Production values remain impressive. Maureen O'Hara provides the spark and grit.

The Fury (1978) With its visual flourishes and technical virtuosity, an always involving mix of thriller and horror, eventually jettisoning narrative and logic to whip up delirious blood-drenched dreams. Aided enormously by a glorious John Williams score, dark, lyrical and rousing.

Dragonwyck (1946) Though the titular house maintains a suitably oppressive presence, the story beats of Gothic romance hold few surprises. Individual performances and scenes provide efficient drama and the historical background is interesting. 'You can't marry a dream...'