August Film Highlights

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Chinatown (1974) Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez, John Hillerman. Dir: Roman Polanski.

A detective is employed to spy on a water company executive suspect of infidelity. Bleak even by noir standards. Shot out of shadows in baking sunlight, corruption is everywhere, but it’s a family secret that horrifies most. Scripted and acted to perfection, crime thrillers don’t get much better than this.

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The 39 Steps (1935) Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll, Lucie Mannheim, Godfrey Tearle. Dir: Alfred Hitchcock. 

 

A Canadian is plunged into intrigue when a spy is killed in his London flat and he’s prime suspect. Hitchcock discovers the perfect formula – an irresistible mix of suspense, thrills and comedy, with a little touch of sex thrown in. The pace is incredible; one witty set piece after another.

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The Ipcress File (1965) Michael Caine, Guy Doleman, Nigel Green, Sue Lloyd, Gordon Jackson. Dir: Sidney J. Furie.

A low-ranking intelligence officer is tasked with tracking a missing scientist. A back-streets low-rent alternative to Bond, with a bit of Manchurian Candidate thrown in. A tense and suspenseful journey through the dirty work of spying, with plenty of risks, paperwork and backstabbing for a middling salary. Bleak but gripping.

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 Ted (2012) Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel McHale, Patrick Warburton, Patrick Stewart. Dir: Seth MacFarlane.

A boy’s delighted when his teddy comes to life; 27 years later, he’s starting to get in the way. The immature, scattershot gags are what you’d expect from McFarlane, but surprisingly this is a fully developed, almost vintage comedy. Characters are more than just cut-outs and played ably without mugging.

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 Sons of the Desert (1933) Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charley Chase, Mae Busch, Dorothy Christy. Dir: William A. Seiter.

Stan & Ollie have to try to trick their wives into letting them go to their clubs annual conference. Frequently cited as the boys’ best comedy; it’s certainly their most consistent. A beautifully sustained idea played out with barely a food put wrong. Short but so very sweet.

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Nostalgia for the Light (2010) Dir: Patricio Guzmán.

Astronomers seek life’s origins at a Chilean observatory, while others search for bodies buried in the desert. Philosophic exploration of the contradiction between searching for life’s answers in a country that can’t face its past. A rare look at the universe which doesn’t make you feel small. Worth seeing twice.

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The Imposter 2012) Dir: Bart Layton.

A French con artist convinces an American family that he is their missing son. True story about an incredible deception, one that could be too good to be true. Can someone’s desire to believe really blind them from the truth? Little is clear, besides the destructive power of lies. Fascinating.

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