Homecoming

Fantastic film by Joe Dante as part of the Masters of horror serie. It's a sharp satire about the Gulf war and the Bush administration, media manipulation, democracy (or lack) using zombie metaphor to vehiculate this very blunt message. The TV production is fairly cheap, but good actors and some great shots.

Milano Trema: La Polizia vuole Giustiza

Also known as Rue de la vengeance, an ok thriller from Sergio Martino with Luc Meranda and Richard Conte. It starts with some nasty convicts and goes into a story of vengeance. Pretty basic with car chases in Alfas.

Footlight Parade

Business as usual with Busby Berkeley, same old story with similar faces, except James Cagney and Joan Blondel leading, and a few good numbers towards the end, with the trully stunning 'By a waterfall'.

The Searchers

I always have mix feelings with Ford, and prefer Mann. Is Searchers one of the best westerns ever? Yes and no. There are some great scenes, exceptionally strong and moving, but some annoying bits with minor characters, overall it is a beautiful film with a great performance from Wayne whi goes relentlessly after Scar to find his niece, then is torn between his racism and his love for her.

Election

Weetherspoon plays the annoyingly over ambitious girl at schools who wants to be elected, Broderick the teacher who can't stand her, and loses it. Average.

On her Majesty's Secret Service

I think the only Bond I had never seen before. George Lazenby is actually quite good, the plot is classic bond, and there are some great action scenes in th Alps, and some very touching ones with Diana Rigg, and the Louis Armstring song is great. And Bond drives a DBS.

Koko, a talking Gorilla

Does what it says on the tin. Barbet Schroeder and Nestor Almendros film Koko in San Francisco. He doesn't really talk but speaks using sign language. Philosophically interesting, cinematically a bit boring. The woman who dedicates her whole life to him is a bit nutty.

La rançon de la peur

AKA Almost human, Umberto Lenzi directs Henry Silva and a very psychotic Thomas Millian, a drug crazed baddie who kills children, women and elderly, even his buddies. A good soundtrack from Morricone, but not a great Polizioteschi.

Syriana

It didn't get it at all. Too bitty, with too many subplot and a main arc that is not clear if there is one at all. Nicely phtographed, acted, etc but ultimately rather pointless and addressing issues that are quite commonly know without being particularly insightful.

A nos amours

Very profound and moving film about growing up, daughter/father relationship, made of little moments and a couple of great scenes, both involving Pialat himself who changes his film by reappearing when no-one expected him.

La vie selon Luc

Jean-Paul Civeyrac's first short, made while at Femis, about a young male prostitute who has a pay off a debt. A bit grim.

Where the truth lies

Too many coincidences and some preposterous part of the story ruin the film slightly. It is a sexy thriller set int he 50s and 70's and quite unsual as Atom Egoyan can do it. Overall, it's ok.

Palais Royal

Not as funny as the critics implied, only midly amusing, decent acting, but the script is quite lazy.