the boy friend (1971)

"I suppose I'm not really his type."
Polly (Twiggy) is put upon assistant stage manager at a provincial theatre. She has to stand-in for the leading lady during a matinée performance with a Hollywood director in the audience who is scouting for his latest extravaganza. To complicate things Polly then falls for Tony (Christopher Gable) the leading man, but may have to make do with some kind words from fellow performer Tommy (Tommy Tune).
Set in the 20's, this is a homage to the romantic musicals of the era. Charming and endearing entertainment, with Russell delivering an understated film, especially for him!

hellzapoppin' (1941)

"Its a great script. Feel how much it weighs."
Ole and Chick (Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson) are trying to make a movie, but the director argues that to make a film they need a story. To this end he brings them to a young writer Harry Selby (Elisha Cook Jr.). He outlines a story to them where they have to help Jeff (Robert Paige) and Kitty (Jane Frazee) to set up a musical revue in her garden and make them realise they are in love with each other.
A screwball comedy, with the added element of a romance, that throws the whole works at the screen. Insert some musical numbers and you have the wackiest thing to come off Broadway in many a year. Though dated now, this is still and entertaining romp. If one joke falls flat, don't worry another one will be along in a second.

l'age d'or (1930)

AKA The age of gold. The golden age.
"To hell with your brats."
A couple in love, try to consummate their passion, but are kept apart due to the intervention of their families, the Church and bourgeois society itself.
Luis Buñuel with the aid of Salvador Dalí bring surrealism to the screen, to satire all that they saw was wrong with society and laced it with dark comedy. A masterpiece of art, that manages to also entertain and still holds up today.

dracula (1992)

AKA Bram Stoker's Dracula.
"The blood is the life... and it shall be mine."
Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves) is tasked with findind one of their clients a home in England, but he disappears once he visits the Count (Gary Oldman) in Transylvania. His fiance Mina (Winona Ryder) is worried, but her friend Lucy (Sadie Frost) takes her mind off things. Then Lucy starts acting funny and wierd things start happening. Enter Prof. Van Helsing (Anthony Hopkins), who thinks he knows what the problem is...
The classic story is re-visited by Coppola, giving it all the lushness and sensuality he can to bring. Visually stunning, some atrocious miscasting make this an entertaining mix, but lacking the horror of older versions.

thunder road (1958)

"I'm sick and tired of hearing about Luke. He's not the only driver in these hills."
Luke (Robert Mitchum) returns from a stint in the army and re-joins the family moonshine business. He soon learns that some gangsters are intent on taking over, but cannot expect any help from the other bootleggers. They are annoyed at the heat Luke has brought with him, with every revenue man and sheriff after him. So he's on his own...but in the meantime he finds solace in the arms of local nightclub singer Francie (Keely Smith).
Mitchum plays it tough as a moonshiner trying to protect his patch from all comers. The film provides good solid entertainment due to the characterisation of all the cast, no one is a cardboard cutout, but are shown as true to life. It comes across as honest and understated, but with enough chase scenes to please those after a bit of action.

god of gamblers (1989)

AKA Du shen.
"Do you play the gamble?"
A legendary gambler Ko Chun (Chow Yun-Fat) decides to help a friend pay a debt by using his skill at gambling. Unfortunately Ko has an accident and suffers memory loss, reverting to a child-like state. The friends who are responsible for the accident take on the responsibility of caring for the retarded Ko and soon get into mischief when they discover that Ko has not lost his gambling skills...
Intense drama, lively comedy and violent action, this has it all. All done in that idiosyncratic Hong Kong style. What's not to like. But be warned, don't go into it expecting it to be wall to wall action.

the killer (1989)

AKA Dip huet seung hung. Bloodshed of Two Heroes.
"I thought those I killed deserved to die. Now I believe everybody has the right to live."
Ah Jong (Chow Yun-Fat) is a principled hitman who decides it is his duty to look after Jennie (Sally Yeh) a nightclub singer after he accidentally blinds her during a gunfight. To add to his problems he has a detective and also a ruthless mob after him.
A stone cold classic. This has everything, pathos and action, and plenty of it.