Having had a long break,and caught up on some serious film watching,here's my view for what its worth,on just some of the current movies.
CAPOTE-If youve ever read "In Cold Blood",Capote's 50s non-fiction novel of the murder of a middle class family,this will make a facinating insite.If you havn't,and know nothing of one of americas great writers,then this might be a bit of a yawn.

BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN-Whilst its a well made love story in the classic mode,I still find it amazing that the fuss
being caused by this film,makes me wonder if anybody actually ever saw The Village People on tv in the 70s in the U.S.Gay cowboys?? what the f*ck do you think The Lone Ranger and Tonto were doing.

MUNICH-Had this film been made by a non-jew,the fuss about questioning the ethics of the Israeli hit squad would have been even greater.However,as a thriller it still aint no "Day Of The Jackle"(orig. version of course)
Oh how I wish a more political (and European)director had tackled it.

THE CONSTANT GARDENER- Now thats what I call a political thriller!!Great cast,great movie,great story.

CRASH-My favourite movie of the year,like Robert Altman meets Tarrentino.

I WALK THE LINE-This years "RAY",and whilst Johnny Cash is as equally interesting as Brother Ray,it don't get close to last years masterpiece.

Well Chris, & all our other film enthusiasts.... after seeing the Oscar nominations & your above list, I have to do my Lundberg impression from "Office Space" & say 'I'm gonna have to kinda disagree with you there...' (Or whatever the line is..) - I guess if we all liked the same movies, it'd be a pretty boring world...horses for courses as Albert Romero would say (Who he?...) - I saw "The Constant Gardner" & I have to say it goes in my "Cure For Insomniacs" bin, what a giant BORE !! Same with so called classics, "Citizen Kane" (zzzz) & "2001" just to name two..(Another thread...) Snoozeville Central, as was "Dinner Rush" which I watched through Chris' recommendation & "Goodfellas" it certainly ain't !! "Four Brothers" was better, in my humble opinion. It does however, go hand in hand, on a culinary cinematic theme with a film I've just seen, a great comedy called " Waiting" & if ever any of you have worked in any capacity in catering, you can identify with it alot !! Another comedy I wanna give props to is the wonderful "Grandma's Boy" (Not sure if the UK has this yet..) just two films which certainly will not be getting mentioned in this year's Academy Awards Show I'm sure, but should raise a titter or two. One enjoyable film I did see last week was Woody Allen's wonderful "Match Point" , so unlike The Woodmeister's usual efforts, a treat indeed, as was "Crash".... has anyone seen the Cronenburg film with the same title ?...there's a thread for you.... film titles which are the same, e.g. "The Island" (2005 with Ewan Mac, & before that, 1981 with Michael Caine....over to you folks !! Now then, where's me Kiora ?....

Where U @: Reno, Nevada, USA

NIK NAME Bri The Funky (& Sometimes Cinematic) Pie

PART TWO....
HUSTLE AND FLOW-Fuggettaboutit!! read the excellent new book by NIK COHN "TRIKSTA" instead.Covers much the same ground but with more fascinating insite.

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA-Stunning to look at,but not "THE LAST EMPORER".The wife says the book was better(they usually are)Great as a warm up to sushi then a shared bath.

KING KONG-This is what BIG screens were made for.... noisy,fun overlong and total CRAP!!.And the scale kept changing(did anyone else notice?)I'm sure everyone will love it.

HISTORY OF VIOLENCE-Like an episode of "The fugative" from 40 years ago.

Brian,I'd love to see your "BEST MOVIES "list sometime.

Brian,for your list of movies with previous titles,but not remakes......
"THE UNFORGIVEN"-originally a 1969 western with Bert Lancaster and Audrey Hepburn.
Then another western in1992 with Clint Eastwood.

(Cue 20th Century Fox Fanfare Theme...)
Well, after a hard day's work, slaving over many a dvd & nit wit customer, (I work in a video shop !..) I'll do as you ask Chris, & compile my list of favourite films, but I warn you now, some of my choices will have you cringing & shaking your head with disbelief - or both.
The choices come in no particular order & are just listed as pure favourites. I've learnt that some so called 'Classics' are anything but, e.g, Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" is a total pile of crap, in my opinion, whilst "Dr. Strangelove" is hugely watchable & enjoyable, mainly because of Sellers.
Going back to Mobster movies, I so wanted to enjoy "Layer Cake" (I can't believe they've chosen this guy to be the next James Bond, he looks so wrong...) but ended up switching it off.... it certainly was'nt as enjoyable as "LockStock.." & a better BritMob flick was "Love, Honour & Obey" with Messers Winstone & Law, which had more characters & more humour. Also,for those who've danced at Brixton's Loughborough Hotel, you can see this as a location in the Clive Owen movie "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead". Just to give a couple of newer films a mention, "Sin City" was very good & one that really suprised me with how much I enjoyed it was "Sky Captain & The World Of Tomorrow" - wonderful comic book stuff.
So, in absolutely no order whatsoever, here we go & apologies for digressing with waffle & critique etc...& I know you'll be saying 'How can he leave that one out ??'...

"Goldfinger" / "The Living Daylights" - ('GF' was the first 007 film I ever saw, seen in Sittingbourne in 1973...it's simply one of the most entertaining films ever, if you asked people in the street to name a Bond film, most would remember this one...many years later, Timothy Dalton gave the closest performance to Fleming's Bond than any other actor has given to date.)

"Love & Death" - Woody Allen's finest.

"Saturday Night Fever" - Would'nt have started going to clubs & getting into Our music if it had'nt been for this film - does anyone remember "The Music Machine" ?? Nuff said ! Still yet to see that, shot at the old Camden Palace I think.

"Some Kind Of Wonderful" - chose this over "Pretty In Pink" as my favourite John Hughes film....I still think "The Breakfast Club" is over rated....

"Pulp Fiction" - Will never be bettered..

"A Night At The Roxbury" - this is to "Saturday Night Fever" what "Carry On Cleo" was to "Cleopatra"...

"The Sound Of Music" - Good Ol' Julie...

"Sweet Charity" - Good Ol' Shirley & Sammy of course..

"The Fortune Cookie" / "The Odd Couple" - Lemmon & Matthau on Top form.

"Avanti !" - yes, yes, "Some Like It Hot" but everyone seems to have forgotten about this wonderful Billy Wilder romantic comedy co-starring Juliet Mills.

"Johnny Dangerously" - Superb & extremly funny send up of the old gangster films with Michael Keaton. ('Farging Corksuckers' !!..)

Laurel & Hardy - Is there anyone funnier ? Pom Pom !

"Don't Be A Menace In South Central Whilst Drinking Your Juice In The Hood" - You've had The Marx Brothers, & the Warner Brothers, here's The Wayans Brothers before they turned into White Chicks...

"Strangers On A Train" / North By Northwest" / Verigo" / Psycho" - Can't leave any of these out, pure Hitchcock. Good Ol' Alf !

"Who's Afraid Of Virgina Woolf" Liz & Dick going for it, with support by George Segal who is in....

"The Duchess & Dirtwater Fox" - with Goldie Hawn, wonderfully entertaining comedy western from start to finsh.

"The Knack" - Swinging London in the 60's was never captured better. Wonderful John Barry score too.

"Arabesque" - Great spy film & wonderfully stylish 60's caper with Gregory Peck & Sophia Loren. Props to Henry Mancini's score..

"High Plains Drifter" - The Ultimate Eastwood Western methinks. (Good to see Kevin Costner keeping the genre going in the wonderful "Open Range" too...)

"High Fidelity" - I cannot think of a greater film that incorporates a music enthusiast as the main character like this does. John Cusack & Jack Black revel in their roles, & who reading this cannot identify with anything from this film ??!! It beats "Empire Records" & "Clerks" by miles. As soon as you see the opening titles with the needle on the record, you know you're in for a treat.

"Bullitt" - Is there a finer cop film ?....

"The French Connection" - Yes !

"Serpico" - Oops, here's another.

"Alfie" / "Get Carter" - Could'nt leave out Sir Mike, could I ?....

Most things from Hammer Films 1957-73

The Carry On Films 1958 - 76 (Carry On Columbus can go take a running jump....)

"I'm Alright Jack!" / "School For Scoundrels" - Golden British comedy...

"This Is Spinal Tap" - Unbeatable !

"Blazing Saddles" / "Young Frankenstein" - Mel Brooks' finest...even "Dracula Dead & Loving It " years later had it's moments...

"The Long Good Friday" / "Mona Lisa" - Brilliant Bob.

And because we love going to the cinema so much, because it's such a tradition, the last one is...

"The Smallest Show On Earth" - a lovely little Peter Sellers chestnut from the 50's.

And as a fellow contributor would say...

"Nurse - the screens !!!"

Same title, different film - "The Enforcer" 1951 with Bogart, 1976 with Eastwood. Next !

Where U @: Reno, Nevada, USA

NIK NAME Bri The Funky (& Sometimes Cinematic) Pie

'A History Of Violence' is something else, isn't it? Not necessarily obsessed with that stark, spare '70's indie' style but this is a rattling good story and cast right up to the kahoonas (sic).

It's also the film with which I crossed the great divide last summer and paid twelve and one half bleedin' knicker - for ONE SEAT - to enjoy it in a recently 'gussied up' picture house off Leicester Square. The seat was, yes, quite comfortable.

Honestly, its like that moment when you first pay double figures for a Martini.

(Thought to self: Did I just wake up this morning and turn into Noel Coward?)

Where U @: deleted

NIK NAME deleted

chris, not watched anything new , heres a few favourites
SNATCH
LOCK,STOCK,AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS
THE DEERHUNTER
STANDING IN THE SHADOWS OF MOTOWN
THE TEMPTATIONS STORY
ROCKY
SCARFACE
MORE TO COME.............

Where U @: southampton

NIK NAME raregroover

a few of my lesser known favs would be

sitting ducks (a little caper movie from the 70,s )

ragtime (cagneyslast movie)

taste of honey (in fact any of the angry young men films of the late 50,s- early 60s)

vanishing point (car chase classic)

electra glide in blue (small cop,big man )

Yes, Vanishing Point is a great film. King of new York is great (Christopher Walken at his best) also Bad Leiutenant (Harvey Keitel), Midnight Run, Scum, Get Carter, Zoolander, Best In Show, A Mighty Wind, Old Boy, The Big Liebrowski and the Back to the Future trilogy are all films I keep going back to. The best TV serial I have ever seen is '24' - just to name an odd selection.

Here's a cake and eat it moment for lovers of this strand. Cargo in Shoreditch do a sunday night session of music and a movie, with tonight's little beauty being Danny Dyer in the wincingly, painfully good The Business.

Oy, you never know, I could always make a call, see what's on the itinerary and, hey, a Soulpranos At The Pictures Night, peut etre?

Where U @: deleted

NIK NAME deleted

Yeah,but its the BAFTAs tonight,the champers is on ice,in best bib and tucker,and the carpets been given a clean......and however bad it is it will be better than the BRITS, which really was "the March of the Penquins"........

T.V. alert!!!! A new Nick Broomfield film being screened very soon.

recent movies watched - walk the line; good movie,fine acting from joaquim and reese , oscar candidates 4 sure. jarhead, another good movie .Chris do you like tv serials ie 24 with kiefer sutherland on sky one, or another good serial on tuesday @ 10pm = over there , about americans out in the gulf war, both worth checking out , 24 is on sun nites from 9pm ,check it out as lotw say!! the best thing to come out of southampton since the QE2 = RAREGROOVER............

Where U @: southampton

NIK NAME raregroover

I've never really been a fan of 24 since the second series,but american tv has improved beyond all recognition since HBO raised the bar some years ago.
My current U.S. Tv favs are
THE SHIELD-the BEST cop drama EVER!!!

PRISON BREAK-rubbish,but good rubbish.

LOST-Great cast,second series gets better(THE PRISONER in 2006)

CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM-Larry David is GOD (on a bad day)

ROME-its SOPRANOS in sandles

DEADWOOD-best swearing on the tv.

RESCUE ME-Denis Leary in a proper job.

The classics have been
SOPRANOS
SIX FEET UNDER
NYPD BLUE
WEST WING (earlier series)
OZ-best prison drama ever
THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW

Thank God there not all on at the same time,but its what Sky+ was invented for.

Oh and Brian,sorry you didn't like DINNER RUSH you're the only one who didn't.
Did you not notice that FOUR BROTHERS was a remake of THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER?

Hello again my popcorn/nacho chomping maties !
Chris, I always want to enjoy whatever I watch, & especially anything my friends recommend to me, maybe if there's a sequel called 'After Dinner Rush' I may enjoy it a little more, who knows. I hav'nt seen that John Wayne film for so long, when I do, it'll be like watching it again for the first time, but yes, your point is very correct, no doubt if we got out brains in gear, yet another list will follow & the nurses will be getting exausted pulling all those screens ! One to go in the Cure For Insomniacs Bin is one of Michael Caine's latest, although he can't be blamed, as he's not the leading character, that falls to Nic Cage in the bleedin' awful 'The Weather Man' which is very overcast with a very deep depression ! I did see a great little gem from 1969 today which introduced Goldie Hawn to films & won her an Oscar for her role in the very amusing 'Cactus Flower' (Music by Quincy..)- some scenes were set in a club somewhere in the States, & the dancing was hilarious, purposefully bad I think ! Also saw "North Country' which is a good drama, though a little predictable, a cross between 'Silkwood' & 'Erin Brockovitch'.
Anybody seen Steve Martin in 'The Pink Panther' yet ?.... Has he not learnt from 'Sgt. Bilko' ?.... Another list we could do, films or stars that cannot seem to leave well alone, e.g. Stallone's pointless 'Get Carter' remake (He is actually making 'Rocky 6' at the moment,now called 'Rocky Balboa'..) I guess it's the dog's turn to get killed off...I also hear they are remaking Michael Caine's 1966 caper 'Gambit' & a sequel to the remake of 'The Italian Job' called 'The Brazillian Job' confused ??!!One that may fall into this catogory is Mel Brooks' remake of his own production (!!) of 'The Producers' with Nathan Lane & Matthew Broderick, who are now remaking or restaging Neil Simon's 'The Odd Couple' - whatever next ??

Where U @: Reno, Nevada

NIK NAME Bri The Funky Pie

Pointless Remakes - The Out Of Towners (1999) with Steve Martin !! The 1970 version with Jack Lemmon & Sandy Dennis is SO much better.

Where U @: Reno, Nevada

NIK NAME Bri The Funky Pie

What is it about Mr. Caine and remakes?
Is it because everybody thinks they can do a better job than him?
We've had ALFIE,GET CARTER,THE ITALIAN JOB,THE POSEIDEN ADVENTURE,GAMBIT f**k me all we're short of is THE SWARM!!!
On the subject of pointless remakes ,the very worst offences have been American remakes of foreign language films.Its such a long and disheartening list I don't even want to start it!!!!

Nicholas Cage is a difficult one for me,he has had stunning moments interspersed with years of rubbish,however LORD OF WAR is one of his better movies and well worth a couple of hours of your time.

I didn't mean to imply that Mr.Caine had anything to do with the original,but BEYOND THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE was worth including, as a remake of the first film is due this spring.
I've thought of a new genre for a pitch to hollywood.....combinig Michael Caine movies

GET RITA
SWARM IN BERLIN
EDUCATING ZULUS
BLAME IT ON ALFIE
THE ITALIAN BRAIN
DIRTY ROTTEN LISA
DRESS TO IPCRESS


NURSE!!!!!!THE SCREENS!!!!!

chris , saw a movie called EDISON = STARRING LL COOOL J,KEVIN SPACEY, MORGAN FREEMAN, AND JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE? good cast. but one of those films that never lives up to EXPECTATION!!!!!never mind, tv programmes,
NYPD BLUE
SOPRANOS
24
MY NAME IS EARL
AND A REAL OLD FAVOURITE ON DVD = "V" ,REMEMBER ?
RAREGROOVER

Where U @: southampton

NIK NAME RAREGROOVER

planet of the apes-now that was a pointless remake !!

Does anyone know if Prison will be coming out on D.V.D completely forgot about it this week Grrrrrrrrrrrrr thanx

Prison Break even

Here's my current list of "GREAT FORGOTTEN FILMS" a sort of cinamatic version of rare groove/modern soul.

ALWAYS OUTNUMBERED(1998)-Stars Laurence Fishburne.Based on the book by Robert Mosley

SALVADOR(1985)-James Woods best movie!! I even got to tell him so when I met him.

TWO DAYS IN THE VALLEY(1996)-Fantastic cast,headed by the great Danny Aello,as funny as GET SHORTY as clever as PULP FICTION.

DINNER RUSH(2000)- Aello again it what is still one of my all time faves of the last 10 years.

COP LAND(1997)- Probably the only Sly Stallone film I own!! with Keitel,Ray Liotta & De Niro in a 90s lost masterpiece.

In case you've not been following the last 20 years my ALL TIME CLASSIC is still "THE SEARCHERS" starring John Wayne.I must have watched it over 25 times!

talking of rare groove movies what about the swimmer staring burt lancaster.a great comment on 60,s american suburbia.or tim robbins in the player which tore apart the facade of the movie industry.

and one who starred in two days in the valley was the vastly underrated (and under used ) eric stoltz who was in a great little movie called "the waterdance" along with helen hunt..anyone else remember it ?

Rob, i agree about THE SWIMMER,one of my all timers, and it get an airing on Sky every now and then.

and the wife and I saw THE PLAYER in the very hollywood movie theatre featured in the film at a special preview showing........

Mrs.Jonesy, PRISON BREAK series 1 is not released yet,but as series 2 has already started in U.S. it can't be long.

Thanx Chris like u say rubbish but good rubbish i'll get bob to try and get it for me ..he's bringing home the second series of lost tommorrow so thats my week sorted cheers

another little gem which is on late tonight on BBC 1 is TIN MEN WIth danny devito and richard dreyfuss about two salesmen and their games of one upmanship in early sixties baltimore.directed by the great barry levinson.check out the fins on those septic jam jars !! its on late but well worth staying up for.

If you go to www.fox.com/prison break then click on "recaps" a list of episodes appears on the right hand side,click on the required episode and you get a comprehensive script of each one.Good innit?