Sea of Love

 

Sea of Love 1989

• Director: Harold Becker
• Cast: Al Pacino, Elin Barkin, John Goodman, Richard Jenkins
• Why? Al Pacino
• Seen twice before. Now 12 September 2026   

 

          Frank (Pacino) is a divorced alcoholic cop in Manhattan. He and Sherman (Goodman) are put on two similar murders where the 50’s hit ‘Sea of Love’ is playing on repeat. They suspect that the murderer is a woman. They set a trap.

          And Frank falls for Helen (Barkin). A suspect. So is she the killer or not?

          Not a bad thriller. Pacino is good.

 

3* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sisu

 

Sisu 2022

• Director: Jalmari Helander
• Cast: Jorma Tommila, Aksel Henning, Mimosa Willamo
• Why? Recommended by film nerd friend MP
• 10 September 2026

 

          The Finnish word ‘sisu’ has no single word translation into English. Nor Swedish for that matter but everyone knows what it means. We even use it ourselves. In English, according to Wikipedia, ‘extraordinary grit, stoic determination, and perseverance in the very face of extreme adversity.’ Other possibilities: gutsiness, ballsiness.

          It’s 1944 in northern Finland. The German occupiers (with the support of many right wing Finns, it must be said) are retreating, destroying everything as they leave.

          An ex-soldier Korpi (Tommila) discovers gold. On his way south he encounters nasty Nazis.

          Grim? Of course, but our hero turns out to be a superhero who can, and does, kill a dozen Nazis without even blinking.

          Unrealistic? Violent? Action-packed? Ridiculous? Gory? All of the above. But funny and entertaining, especially the women, But why are the Germans speaking English?

          Finnish films are weird. Usually. But cool.

 

3* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Farewell, Herr Haffman

 

Farewell Herr Haffman 2021

• Director: Fred Cavayé
• Cast: Daniel Auteuil, Gilles Lellouche, Sara Giraudeau, Nikolai Kinski
• Why? Recommended by EÖ
• 5 September 2026 

 

          Joseph Haffman (Auteuil), a Jewish jeweller in Paris, sends his wife and children to the Free Zone. He turns his shop and the flat upstairs over to his employee Francois (Lellouche) and his wife Blanche (Giraudeau). Unfortunately, Joseph doesn’t get away to join his family before the Nazis start arresting all the Jews. Francois and Blanche help him hide in the cellar. Then Francois asks him a very peculiar favour.

          An unusual picture of the Nazi occupation of Paris, with good actors.

 

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Curse

 

The Curse 2015

• Director: Antoni Solé
• Cast: Mark Gantt, Reg Wilson, Nikol Kollars, Anna Andres
• Why? According to Ginza, Colin Morgan is in it. Somehow I doubt this.
• 2 September 2026 

 

          Ancient texts, professor/translator, mysterious stranger, the Queen of the Underworld, nasty FBI agent. It all adds up to not much. And no Colin Morgan.

 

1* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

 

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind 2019

• Director: Chiwetel Ejiofor
• Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Maxwell Simba, Lily Banda, Aïssa Mäiga, Noma Dumezweni
• Why? Ejiofor, group watch with FB group Film Nerds
• Seen: 30 August 2026                 

 

          Trywell (Ejiofor) and Agnes ( Mäiga) are farmers in Malawi. They want to send their son William (Simba) to school and their daughter Annie (Banda) to university, but harvests are failing, food and money are scarce and there is political unrest and violence.

          William is a bright boy. He figures out things. He builds a windmill, pumps up water, and his family and the village are saved. That’s not really a spoiler, we sort of knew that it would end well from the beginning.

          Based on a true story.

          Ejiofor is always terrific. They’re all good.

 

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9 to 5

 

9 to 5 (1980)

• Director: Collin Higgins
• Cast: Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Dabney Coleman
• Why? In Dolly Parton’s memory. Also it’s a classic.
• Seen: once before. Now 28 August 2026         

 

          Judy (Fonda) has never had a paying job before. It’s her first day. Violet (Tomlin) is her supervisor and knows more about the company than anybody, especially the bosses. Doralee (Parton) is Frank’s (Coleman) secretary. He hits on her, tells everybody he’s having sex with her so the others shun her, calls all the women ‘girls’, promotes an incompetent man before Violet, orders Violet to bring him coffee and run private errands for him.

          Good start. Sadly it becomes very silly and only manages towards the end to make some good points. It could have been so much better.

          But Parton, Tomlin and Fonda are great.

 

3 ½ * of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gone Baby Gone

 

Gone Baby Gone 2007

• Director: Ben Affleck
• Cast: Casey Affleck, Michelle Monaghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Amy Ryan, Amy Madigan, Titus Welliver, Michael Kenneth Williams, Edi Gathegi
• Why? Dennis Lehane, author of the book
• Seen: 27 August 2026                 

 

          A little girl is missing. Private eyes Patrick (Affleck) and Angie (Monaghan) are hired by the girl’s aunt Bea (Madigan) to use their local contacts to find the girl.

           It gets complicated and grim.

          Angie isn’t given the role she deserves. She’s a much deeper character in the book.

 

3* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Soloist

 

The Soloist 2009

• Director: Joe Wright
• Cast: Robert Downey Jr, Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander
• Why? Music
• Seen: once before. Now 26 August 2026         

 

          LA Times reporter Steve Lopez (Downey Jr) discovers that homeless Nathaniel (Foxx) not only plays the violin under a statue of Beethoven, but that he had studied at Juilliard. And that, to Steve, is great stuff for his column.

          Which leads to unexpected consequences.

          It’s based on a true story and has lots of nice Beethoven music.

 

3 * of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fractured 2019

 

Fractured 2019

• Director: Brad Anderson
• Cast: Sam Worthington, Lily Rabe, Luci Capri, Adjoa Andoh
• Why? Possibly interesting
• Now 25 August 2026                  

 

          Ray (Worthigton) and Jo (Rabe) bring their daughter to the hospital after the little girl falls and hurts herself. Things there are weird, including Jo and the daughter disappearing, with no record of them having been there. Is Ray crazy, guilty? Or is there an organ donor conspiracy at the hospital?

          Not a bad thriller.

 

3* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Quiet Hour

 

The Quiet Hour 2014

• Director: Stéphanie Joaland
• Cast: Dakota Blue Richards, Karl Davies, Jack McMullen, Brigitte Millar
• Why? Sci fi
• Seen: 20 August 2026                 

 

          Earth has been invaded by aliens and most humans are dead. Sarah (Richards) and her blind brother Tom (McMullen) struggle to survive. It’s not just the aliens who are dangerous, but other human survivors.

          It could have been better, but it could have been worse.

2 ½ * of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Diva

 

Diva 1981

• Director: Jean-Jacques Beineit
• Cast: Wilhelmenia Fernandez, Frédérik Andre
• Why? Recommended in a book, I’ve forgotten which one
• Seen: 19 August 2026                 

 

          Opera, bootleg recordings, gangsters, police, murder. Not really my thing.

          Some French films are very good, of course, and most viewers have given this a lot of stars. Sorry, not me.

 

2* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dancer in the Dark

 

Dancer in the Dark 2000

• Director: Lars von Trier
• Cast: Björk, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse, Peter Stormare, Joel Grey, Cara Seymour, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Stellan Skarsgård
• Why? Björk, von Trier, a musical
• Seen: once before. Now 15 August 2026         

 

          Selma (Björk) works in a factory. She has a son. She has the role of Maria in The Sound of Music with the local drama club.

          She and her son are going blnd. She’s saving money so that he can have the necessary operation.

          Things don’t go well.

          Von Trier makes peculiar films. I’ve seen most of them and I’ve liked most of them. A lot.

          This is peculiar, and the most peculiar musical. And I like it a lot.

 

4* of 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Voyage of the Damned

 

The Voyage of the Damned 1976

• Director: Stuart Rosenberg
• Cast: Faye Dunaway, Oskar Werner, Sam Wannamaker, Lee Grant, Wendy Hiller, Julie Harris, Jonathan Pryce
• Why? The cast, the subject
• Seen: Once before. Now 11 August 2026        

 

          In 1939 the Nazis permit a shipload of Jews, some rich, some poor, some from concentration camps, to leave Germany to cross the Atlantic to Cuba.

          Only Cuba doesn’t let them in. All planned by the Nazis to show the world that nobody wants Jews.

          It’s jam packed with big stars, some of my faves, like von Sydow, Werner, and introducing Jonathan Price, who I saw in the Globe in London a few years ago as Shylock,

          Sadly, the film as a whole is rather flat. I pity. It had great potential.

 

2 ½ * of 5