Films: February 10 - 16

2 Yötä Aamuun (2 Nights Till Morning) (2016)

Mulholland Falls (1996)

Split Decisions (1988)

The Naked Street (1950)

Resistance (2003)

Sophie And The Rising Sun (2016)

The Keeper (2019)

Lost Girls (2016)

China Moon (1994) ///

2 Yötä Aamuun (2 Nights Till Morning) (2016) Two-hander sets up observational romantic drama told with wry style and evolves with fresh intelligence as designer Marie-Josée Croze gets stuck in Lithuania with DJ Mikko Nousiainen. Generously played, character and emotion genuinely resolved.

Mulholland Falls (1996) Lushly produced, noirish thriller stirs style and attitude on flimsy narrative which never quite comes to the boil. Unrepentant cop Nick Nolte investigates murder of lover Jennifer Connelly, a trail that leads to military cover-up. Silky Dave Grusin score.

Split Decisions (1988) Boxing melodrama echoes better stories. Solidly delivered fights and predictable family confrontations, including gangster threats and killing, keep narrative ticking while gritty Gene Hackman anchors ensemble cast. Lacks energy to provide emotional connection.

The Naked Street (1950) Anthony Quinn provides a commanding presence as a gangster with family commitments who gets pregnant sister Anne Bancroft's boyfriend Farley Granger off death row. Minor effort with confined locations, a strong cast delivers on emotions and dangerous twists.

Resistance (2003) Solid production values and stolid visuals frame messy narrative that never quite overcomes jumps in logic and coincidence. Injured US pilot Bill Paxton falls for Belgian resistance fighter Julia Ormond with resultant guilt and tragedy. Decent rather than compelling.

Sophie And The Rising Sun (2016) Keenly told, a captivating, bittersweet, meandering narrative of racial tension and female strength as reclusive Julianne Nicholson falls for Takashi Yamaguchi in prejudiced 1941 South Carolina. Strong performances capture quietly effective tone.

The Keeper (2019) Handsome production values provide romantic backdrop for biopic of German POW who became famed Manchester goalkeeper. Central character remains elusive amid society prejudice and personal tragedy, while welcome sense of humour adds bite to well-paced structure.

Lost Girls (2016) Natural intensity is brought to intimately drawn anguish as Amy Ryan fights social and institutional prejudice and incompetence to search for her missing daughter. True-life unresolved case doesn't diminish family tension and drama pays off with cathartic emotions.

China Moon (1994) Seductive visual sheen provides texture to noirish twists as confident detective Ed Harris becomes lost in damaged dreams of Madeleine Stowe, muder of abusive husband Charles Dance and investigations of Benicio del Toro. Sex and greed lead to entertainingly bleak finale.

Films: February 3 - 9

tick, tick... BOOM! (2021)

Madame Hyde (2017)

Fallen (2016)

Forever Amber (1947)

Jonah Hex (2010)

De Slag Om De Schelde (The Forgotten Battle) (2020)

The More The Merrier (1943)

A Call To Spy (2019)

Autómata (2014) ///

tick, tick... BOOM! (2021) Powered by Andrew Garfield's compelling lead as a songwriter in search of creativity to complete his musical, a visually and emotionally invigorating construction that illuminates the frustration of inspiration. Strong songs and cast sell the energy and compassion.

Madame Hyde (2017) An electrical accident empowers victimized teacher Isabelle Huppert with confidence by day and killer instinct by night. Like the lead performance, a quirky balance between comedy and drama without a crystallizing view. Minor pleasures from individual scenes.

Fallen (2016) Despite attraction of visuals and cast, narrative interest loses steam as disturbed Addison Timlin finds new boarding school arouses historical flashbacks and love triangle with fallen angels. Overheated with plot yet simultaneously simplified, climactic aerial combat is without drama.

Forever Amber (1947) Swept along by David Raksin's gorgeous score and the dense Technicolor design, orphan Linda Darnell is alternately abused and exploits to rise up through London society. Debtors prison, highwaymen, plague, fire, duels and love forever lost. A lush pileup of incident.

Jonah Hex (2010) Swaggering style and dynamic design only compensate so much for dwindling investment in story and character, even allowing for comic book technique. Unapologetic Josh Brolin needs revenge on cruel John Malkovich who intends to blow up Washington. Megan Fox smolders.

De Slag Om De Schelde (The Forgotten Battle) (2020) Strong visuals and impressive production underpin persuasive narrative that entwines resistance fighter Susan Radder, Brit pilot Jamie Flatters and Axis soldier Gijs Blom. Intense warfare builds from consequences of loss and compassion.

The More The Merrier (1943) Breezy comic take on wartime Washington housing squeeze sees orderly Jean Arthur's apartment invaded by regimented Joel McCrae and cunning Charles Coburn. Solidly built comic momentum and stars' easy charm make for finely tuned entertainment.

A Call To Spy (2019) Suspenseful, tragic histories of true life female spies during World War II receives insipid treatment both in narrative and visual terms. Cramped production and lack of identity subdue drama with only isolated scenes impactful amid generally underwhelming treatment.

Autómata (2014) Clinically produced and visually acute, though behind polished facade a messy, predictable fable of future identity and AI threat, as Antonio Banderas uncovers sentient intelligence and survival instinct. Zacarías Martínez de la Riva provides a dynamic and emotive score.