Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf

 

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf 1966

• Director: Mike Nichols
• Cast: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal, Sandy Dennis·       
• Why? A classic
• Seen: Once or twice before. Now 4 October 2025 

       Martha (Taylor) and George (Burton) have an alcohol-poisoned vicious marriage which they don’t mind displaying for the young visiting couple (Sega, and Dennis). The young couple, too, become inebriated and the situation deteriorates.

       The acting is superb, especially Sandy Dennis. Both she and Taylor won Oscars. Segal and Burton were nominated, as was the film. Unfortunately my DVD jammed in the middle and I couldn’t watch the whole thing. Enough, though, to see and remember how completely depressing and impressive it is. 

4 * of 5

 

 

 

 

Soft and Quiet

 

Soft and Quiet 2022

• Director: Beth Da Araujo
• Cast: Stephanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Cissy Ly, Jon Beavers·       
• Why? Possibly good
• Seen: 3October 2025

       A group of Aryan women meet to spout their racist outrage. They call themselves Daughters of Aryan Unite. Racist violence against two Asian sisters ensues.

       It’s a very strong and disturbing film. 

 3 ½ * of 5

 

 

 

 

 

I Came By

 

I Came By

• Director: Babak Anvari
• Cast: Antonio Akeel, Percelle Ascot, Hugh Bonneville, Kelly McDonald, George McKay·       Why? Kelly McDonald
• Seen: 1 October 2025

       Toby (McKay) breaks into rich peoples’ homes and graffitis ‘I Came By’ on the wall. He lives with his mother Liz (McDonald) with whom there is constant conflict.

       When he breaks into a respected Judge’s (Bonneville) home, it doesn’t go as expected. He discovers the Judge’s dark secret.

       It’s confusing but quite exciting. 

 3 ½ * of 5

 

 

The Panic in Needle Park

 

The Panic in Needle Park 1971

·        Director: Jerry Schatzberg

·        Cast: Al Pacino, Kitty Winn

·        Why? A classic

·        Seen: Once before. Now 28 September 2025 

Bobby (Pacino) and Helen (Winn) are drug addicts, and in love. She’s an innocent from Indiana, he’s been in the street hustling since he was nine.

It can’t go well and it doesn’t. It’s grim but it’s also boring. It’s not as good as I remember it.

It’s Pacino’s first big role. 

2 ½ * of 5

 

 

 

 

 

Companion

 

Companion 2025

·        Director: Drew Hancock

·        Cast: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guilléne, Rupert Friend, Jaboukie Young-White

·        Why? Sci fi AI

·        Seen: 27 September 2025 

Iris (Thatcher) and Jack (Quaid) are spending the weekend with his rich friends in a remote mansion. Iris is uneasy because she feels out of place.

Which she is because she’s an AI, a robot. Only she doesn’t know it and the others do.

What an unexpected little gem of an AI film. 

4 * of 5

 

 

 

 

The Life Before Her Eyes

 

The Life Before Her Eyes 2007

·        Director: Vadim Perelman

·        Cast: Uma Thurman, Evan Rachel Wood, Eva Amurri, Oscar Isaac, Brett Cullen, Gabrielle Brennan

·        Why? Possible interesting

·        Seen:  25 September 2025 

Diana (Ward and Thurman) survive a high school massacre. Years later she has a husband, a little girl and flashbacks to the massacre. She sees the victims everywhere.

It’s very low key, so low key that it’s hard to engage in the characters. Thurman is good though, and it pulls together strongly, if enigmatically.

 3* of 5

 

 

Naked

 

Naked 1993

·        Director: Mike Leigh

·        Cast: David Thewliss, Leslie Sharp, Katrin Cartlidge, Greg Cruttwell, Claire Skinner, Ewan Bremner

·        Why? The cast. Mike Leigh

·        Seen: Once before. Now 24 September 2025 

Considered by many to be Mike Leigh’s masterpiece and David Thewliss’s best role.

Not by me. It’s too grim. Johnny (Thewliss) is a philosophy spouting drifter, cruel, violent, abusive. He's a loser, everyone is a loser. There’s probably a point to it all but it’s too rambling and talky for me. Leigh’s other films are so much sharper.

Great cast though. 

2 ½ * of 5