CategoryAMERICAN

Posted May 10, 2018 AMERICAN

Sideways (2004)

CRUMBLIES… Young Steve and I watched this together. He’s in his middle-years, my only son, married with two boys. And a prime candidate for the crash and burn of mid-life … Continue Reading Sideways (2004)

Posted May 9, 2018 AMERICAN

An Unfinished Life (2005)

CRUMBLIES… Hmmm. Here’s another Robert Redford film with all the ingredients of something genuine, but… somehow… sigh. He’s a maudlin old farmer, out in them thar hills, having a daily … Continue Reading An Unfinished Life (2005)

Posted May 9, 2018 AMERICAN

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café (1991)

CRUMBLIES… Here’s a thing that gets worse with old age: insomnia. You get creaky, the pain wakes you. You get fat, over-heating gets you. You hear a noise in the … Continue Reading Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café (1991)

Posted May 7, 2018 AMERICAN

Dan in Real Life (2007)

CRUMBLIES… I’m writing this in 2018 – the year the best TV Dad of all time died: John Mahoney of Frasier. Behind the grumpiness of Martin Crane was an actor … Continue Reading Dan in Real Life (2007)

Posted May 7, 2018 ACTION

His Picture in the Papers (1916)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUsfHCv6CNA CRUMBLIES… Silent Steve caught me unawares with this one. It’s over a hundred years old now, but feels weirdly modern. His Picture in the Papers is a silent … Continue Reading His Picture in the Papers (1916)

Posted May 7, 20181 Comment AMERICAN

The Lightkeepers (2009)

CRUMBLIES… No. No no no no no no no. I only sat through the whole of this because there’s a Streep child in it, Richard Dreyfuss is Richard Dreyfuss and … Continue Reading The Lightkeepers (2009)

Posted May 7, 2018 AMERICAN

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (1962)

CRUMBLIES… Bloody hell. Mad Maud put this one on and practically worshipped at its feet. I’d never seen it – and had studiously avoided the careers of both star over … Continue Reading Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (1962)

Posted May 4, 2018 AMERICAN

The Notebook (2004)

CRUMBLIES… Mad Maud has a thing about James Garner. It’s an obsession that sits nicely alongside all her other ones, gets us doused in weekly bouts of The Rockford Files … Continue Reading The Notebook (2004)

Posted May 2, 2018 AMERICAN

Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

CRUMBLIES… Friendship, eh? If there’s a thing that makes life tolerable, it is the company of others. And by company I mean tightly managed video-calls with children, grandchildren and – … Continue Reading Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

Posted May 1, 2018 AMERICAN

Hello, My Name is Doris (2015)

CRUMBLIES… Now, here’s a new genre in the grey-scale of movies: older woman goes for younger man. The basics of this film had gotten round the corridors and old Jack … Continue Reading Hello, My Name is Doris (2015)

Posted April 29, 20181 Comment AMERICAN

Away From Her (2006)

CRUMBLIES… Okay. Deep breath. It’s another Alzheimer’s film. After the emotional journey of Still Alice (2014), old Jack thought he’d go the whole hog and bask in some Julie Christie goodness. … Continue Reading Away From Her (2006)

Posted April 27, 2018 AMERICAN

Miss Lulu Bett (1921)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb9ROkl8cC0 CRUMBLIES… Damn me, if Silent Steve didn’t find a gem from yesteryear for this Sunday’s God-do-I-have-to-watch-this-athon. It’s the story of a young spinster in an American home, treated like … Continue Reading Miss Lulu Bett (1921)