The Maid (La nana) (2009) 8.5/10 2nd viewing

Jovana Lukina (1979) 7.5/10

Crossing (Keurosing) (2008) 8/10

Balzac And The Little Chinese Seamstress (Xiao cai feng) (2002) 7/10

Yesterday I saw a travelogue about Italy - it was quite attractive showing Rome, Venice and the Italian countryside.

There's not a lot else I can say about Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) as the story was very slight. I think it may have been made following the success of Roman Holiday made in the previous year as Maggie McNamara could have been selected as an Audrey Hepburn clone. The opening scene is meant to be a travelogue with the song which got an Oscar. Unusually the singer was not mentioned in the credits, but it was obviously Frank Sinatra.

Curling (2010) 9/10

Men On The Bridge (Koprudekiler) (2009) 6/10

Red Cherry (Hong ying tao) (1995) 8/10

A Moment Of Innocence (Nun va Goldoon) (1996) 8/10

Higher Principle (Vyssí princip) (1960) 9/10

The Roommate (2011) 3/10

Of Mice And Men (1939) 9/10

That is a film that I want to see but it never seems to get shown on the Freeview TV channels. From what I've heard the acting is outstanding and goes to show that Burgess Meredith was a fine actor even though he seems to be remembered most for The Penguin.

The film is on youtube (i got it through lovefilm)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3Ww8BKxtZU

 The acting is brilliant and the part of Lenny wasnt overracted at all

My Sweet Little Village (Vesnicko má strediskova) (1985) 8.5/10

Love On The Run (L'amour en fuite) (1979) 6/10

I saw Eagle Eye. Although the concept of a super-computer taking over the country could have been developed into a good film, this one was too preposterous and over-laden with CGI.

Come Rain, Come Shine (Saranghanda, saranghaji anneunda) (2011) 8/10

Count To 100 (Tæl til 100) (2004) 6/10

I resaw the classic Laura (1944), an excellent film. 3 minor points. Firstly in the scene where Dana Andrews meets Clifton Webb, Webb is sitting in his bath tub. If you look closely, there a a couple of times where you can see that Webb was wearing swimming trunks - this is confirmed on IMDB.

Secondly, having seen this film before I was able to appreciate some of the minor roles more. Of particular note was the maid played by the uncredited Dorothy Adams.

Thirdly, the poem which was included in Webb's radio broadcast was by Ernest Dowson:

"Vitae Summa Brevis"
"They are not long, the weeping and the laughter,
Love and desire and hate:
I think they have no portion in us after
We pass the gate.
They are not long, the days of wine and roses:  (source of the 1962 film)
Out of a misty dream
Our path emerges for awhile, then closes
Within a dream."

Windows On Monday (Montag kommen die Fenster) (2006) 7.5/10

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994) 5/10

I think The Hudsucker Proxy is one of those films which you need to be in the right mood to appreciate it. I've only seen it the once and thoroughly enjoyed it though it is a very strange film. I thought of it as if Fellini at his most extravagant (such as Roma) trying to make a Frank Capra film whilst high on drugs.

Strangely enough the film was made in the same year as The Road to Wellville, another very strange film, and both dealing in a highly fictionlised way with the development of well known real products - the frisbee in the former and Corn Flakes in the latter.

I thought the performances in Hudsucker Proxy were very good and is the reason i didnt rate the film lower than a 5

Deep End (1970) 7/10

I am probably one of the small number of people who saw this at the cinema when it was first released.

I Travel Alone (Jeg reiser alene) (2011) 7.5/10

Seraphine (2008). A quiet slow sad true story of the French artist. I found it totally absorbing and Yolande Moreau gave a very convincing portayal.