Films: December 23 - 29

Shattered (1991)

Kiss Of Death (1947)

Out Of The Past (1947)

Mildred Pierce (1945)

La Strada (1954)

My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006)

In Secret (2013)

Golden Gate (1994)

Time Without Pity (1957) ///

Shattered (1991) Polished, noir-soaked thriller, hinging on a third act surprise either shocking or ridiculous depending on your involvement. Tom Berenger is the amnesiac trying to uncover the truth about his car accident and wife Greta Scaachi. Bob Hoskins is the detective pet shop owner. Sharp, beguiling Alan Silvestri score.

Kiss Of Death (1947) Benefiting from bracing, unforgiving locations, blunt, brutish tale sees jailed robber Victor Mature seek revenge on grinning killer Richard Widmark. Though it finally backs away from bleak finality, enough grim melodrama and redemptive suspense to maintain interest.

Out Of The Past (1947) Weary, manipulated Robert Mitchum caught between jealous hood Kirk Douglas and devious lover Jane Greer is caught in a labyrinthine plot of murder and double-cross. Evocatively framed and designed, drenched with a sleek atmosphere of dark cruelty and sexual melodrama.

Mildred Pierce (1945) Expertly polished noir melodrama with a flashback structure revealing gutsy Joan Crawford's battered past, fortune making business and family and marital dysfunction. Suffused with desire and  murderous love, powerhouse star turn overcomes dry narrative stretches.

La Strada (1954) Spun with textured threads of humanity by Giulietta Masina, Anthony Quinn and Richard Basehart, a revealing journey of poetry, comedy and despair that lingers through gritty, burnished visuals. Small scale circus background allows physical performances to shine with soul.

My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006) Superhero spoof never transcends or properly glories in its juvenile set pieces, further sabotaged with uninspired visuals and pace. Uma Thurman is the title character causing havoc with Luke Wilson's life. Anna Faris provides welcome comic energy.

In Secret (2013) Finely textured, oppressively designed, a commited cast is consumed by studied film making, murky lighting and dry tone. Elizabeth Olsen and Oscar Isaac's Parisienne affair ends in murder and suffocating guilt, a Thérèse Raquin adaptation lacking in passion and satiric resonance.

Golden Gate (1994) Spanning three decades of post WW2 racism against Asians, conflicted FBI agent Matt Dillon seeks redemption with love for resilient Joan Chen. Awkward narrative shifts and bland style subdue thematic ambitions as well as effective performances and production values.

Time Without Pity (1957) Freddie Francis provides dynamic visuals that aid broken Michael Redgrave's search to prove his son's innocence before he's executed for murder. Exposition tends to be stagey, contrasting with coarse locations. Cast provides typically robust melodramatics.