Films: January 25 - 31

Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (The Good, The Bad And The Ugly) (1966)

Swashbuckler (1976)

The Big Clock (1948)

Easy Living (1937)

Don't Worry Darling (2022)

Live By Night (2016)

Coma (1978) ///

Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo (The Good, The Bad And The Ugly) (1966) Buoyed by expansive visuals and impressive scale, dismissively confident Clint Eastwood, emotional Eli Wallach and cruel Lee Van Cleef chase buried treasure amid blasted, hostile towns and savagery of Civil War America. Maintains heightened sense of drama and humor while Ennio Morricone's music soars.

Swashbuckler (1976) Exhuberantly good-natured pirate adventure sees lumbering scarlet bucasneer Roobert Shaw counfoudning venal Peter Boyle and colonial Bahamas authorities. Gutsy Genevieve Bujold provides a suitable foil amid colorful locations and desing even if visuals and plot fails to capture needed romantic sweep.

The Big Clock (1948) Structured and executed with tense precision, noir shadows gradually close on arrogant crime journalist Ray Milland, assigned to murder case by sleazy newspaper boss (and killer) Charles Laughton. Strong cast and increasingly claustrophobic action while production shines with gleaming visuals.

Easy Living (1937) Vibrant comedy underpinned by satiric swipes easily mixes the physical and verbal as struggling Jean Arthur discovers a discarded fur coat and association with arrogant tycoon Edward Arnold propels her up the social ladder. Ostentatious visuals highlight Depression-era setting. Lightly irresistible.

Don't Worry Darling (2022) Striking design and crisp visuals create edgy atmosphere yet toxic male fragility never quite delivers on thriller threats, despite a committed, involving Florence Pugh. Without irony, frustratingly vague and uneven real world remains clouded by the symbolic.

Live By Night (2016) Handsomely mounted, a robust cast bring drama to individual scenes yet can't enliven a bland, unevenly spun narrative that sees haunted Ben Affleck lumber through blood-soaked streets of Boston and bleached Prohibition Florida. Despite ferocious gunplay, fumbles for emotional reach.

Coma (1978) Grounded in chilly hospital intensity, dedicated doctor Genevieve Bujold battles patriarchal control to uncover institutional plot behind operating room mishaps. Unnerving atmosphere built through intelligent detail builds to edgy thrills, with Jerry Goldsmith score ramping up the tension.