Adrian Lyne directs Diane Lane, Olivier Martinez and Richard Gere in this erotic thriller where a happy housewife starts an affair with a mysterious French book dealer.

In the opening sequence, Lane is buffeted by a gale on a New York back street. The wind exposes her legs, tightens her immaculate clothing to her body. It is like Lyne is a naughty giant blowing her garments astray to give us a teasing show. The star looks classy and resplendent throughout, constantly generating heat. Lyne doesn’t even bother to gift us any notable nudity until at least an hour in, long past the first few trysts. Then the movie goes off the rails with a murder. Neither male lead matches Lane’s appeal, Martinez especially is just a pretty face. The dour final act has minimal grip and little opportunity for Lane to wear and then not wear a stunning outfit. Lacklustre after a promising start.

4

Perfect Double Bill: Fatal Attraction (1987)

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Pier Paolo Pasolini directs Lello Bersani, Alberto Moravia and Cesare Musatti in this documentary collating the vox pop interviews of the people of Italy on the subject of sex.

Not particularly mind blowing stuff but some of the members of the public have a nice energy about them. It does feel that Pasolini is often trying to categorise certain attitudes that don’t always come across in the actual opinions expressed. He makes a point of interviewing big groups in public, meaning a certain herd-like mentality dominates the interviews. But he is making another valid point by doing exactly that. Becomes overly repetitive.

5

Perfect Double Bill: This Film Is Not Yet Rated (2006)

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Nick Moore directs Emma Roberts, Alex Pettyfer and Juno Temple in this fish-out-of-water kids comedy where a spoilt American rich girl is shipped off to an English boarding school.

Very scrappy, and I’m aware I’m not the target demographic. This will keep a 10 year old girl entertained but even they will want even more scenes where Emma Roberts calls someone a “Bi-Atch!” Thus completely owning them. I know I did. Fuck the true meaning of friendship!

5

Perfect Double Bill: What A Girl Wants (2003)

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Lee Isaac Chung directs Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri and Alan Kim in this drama where a Korean family settles in 1980s Arkansas and struggle to start a farm.

Sweet, well acted, manages to represent the differing perspectives of nearly all the family members. Not entirely sure what all the Oscar adulation was about but Minari is a neat enough one-watcher.

6

Perfect Double Bill: Field Of Dreams (1989)

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Jessica Swale directs Gemma Arterton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Lucas Bond in this British wartime drama where a female writer, living a secluded life, finds herself looking after an evacuated boy.

Perfectly watchable. No great shakes in any technical category but a good showcase for Arterton. Some of the final act revelations are well handled.

6

Perfect Double Bill: Tell It To The Bees (2019)

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Howard Hawks directs Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall and Matha Vickers in this detective story based on Raymond Chandler’s labyrinthine novel.

The plot is a bramble bush, you could untangle it but where’s the fun in that? This is a delivery system for a series of scenes where Bogart negs, flirts and cracks wise with a series of beauties. Each more ravishing than the next. The wit of the dialogue, the heat of the chemistry, those gowns and short shorts. Who cares about a few little unsolved murders?

8

Perfect Double Bill: The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Sam Raimi directs Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen and Benedict Wong in this sequel to a fair few Marvel properties.

More big budget telly… though interrupted with bursts of pure Raimi 5D mayhem. His signature stuff sticks out like sore thumbs on a giraffe but makes this somewhat enjoyable. Olsen is the MVP and is given a character arc worth her time. The trailer takes great pains from spoiling a first act revelation… yet also features big revealing shots of the finale… which is obtuse. The middle section drags, especially if you don’t really care about cameos from other franchises… past and future. You can’t help but have the nagging feeling that this is all middle section.

7

Perfect Double Bill: Doctor Strange (2016)

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

John Madden directs Colin Firth, Kelly McDonanld and Matthew Macfadyen in this WWII espionage thriller where MI5 try to float misleading documents to the Nazis using the corpse of a homeless man.

A drab, unfocussed little movie. Muddles through a staid romantic triangle that goes nowhere when what you really want is more old school spy craft. An inherent problem in turning this cute little wartime footnote into a two hour narrative is once the body is in motion there’s absolutely nothing for the ensemble we’ve invested in to do but wait by the telegram machine. Snore.

3

Perfect Double Bill: Carve Her Name With Pride (1958)

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Tom Gormican directs Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal and Tiffany Haddish in this meta-comedy where Nicolas Cage plays himself and gets involved in an action buddy movie scenario with him and his biggest fan.

In its strongest moments a very affectionate celebration of Cage. Interestingly, his two best pieces of acting (Leaving Las Vegas, Adaptation.) are seemingly off limits even though aspects of both fit the story aptly. They are a layer deep into the homage rather than explicitly referenced – one wonders whether Cage only agreed to the project if the performances he was proudest of were ringfenced away from the spoof stuff? Like The Lost City, the funniest jokes are in the first act / trailer… which is a shame. I sauntered into April looking forward to two starry comedy release and both run out of pep by the midway mark. Cage and Pascal have a nice energy together but there’s nothing here to command a repeat visit.

5

Perfect Double Bill: Being John Malkovich (1999)

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/

Richard Linklater directs Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup and Emma Nelson in this comedy drama about rich people with rich people problems.

Starts out a bit like a female As Good As It Gets. Blanchett is crotchety in that way that is only adorable in movies. The wealth on show is a bit offensive, if this was made by anyone other than Linklater I’d assume it was propaganda. Takes some unpredictable turns in the second and third act… so as it delivered what I wasn’t expecting and opened up to being a more holistic exploration of self worth I’m going to allow it a pass. The cast is uniformly excellent, I smiled a few times, Bernadette’s backstory is compelling.

6

Perfect Double Bill: The Shipping News (2000)

Check out my wife Natalie’s Point Horror blog https://cornsyrup.co.uk

We also do a podcast together called The Worst Movies We Own. It is available on Spotify or here https://letterboxd.com/bobbycarroll/list/the-worst-movies-we-own-podcast-ranking-and/